Dragon Master
by SilvorMoon
Summary: Aurora dreams of being a Dragon Master, but the forces arrayed against her are greater than she knows. With only a wannabe Pokemon researcher, a disgraced Rocket, and an abused Spearow for help, will she ever achieve her dream?
1. Stage One - Birthday Gifts

_**Disclaimer:** Wow, a Pokemon fic. That's different (for me, anyway.) But different or not, Pokemon is still the property of Nintendo._

**Stage One: Birthday Gifts**

  


**By: SilvorMoon**

The girl perched proudly on the shoulders of her Dragonite, riding high above the earth. Her crystalline hair, turned fiery by the setting sun, billowed out behind her, tracing gleaming streaks across her long black cloak. Other Dragonites flew with her, a whole flock of them, as far as her eyes could see. They were calling her name. 

"Aurora!" 

Aurora was puzzled. Pokemon were supposed to say their own names, not hers. 

"Aurora! You lazy girl, get up!" 

They weren't supposed to insult her, either. With a moan, the girl rolled over and pulled a pillow over her head, abandoning her dreams of flying dragons... for the moment, anyway. It was too bad, really. Her dreams were the only place where she could ride the skies with her Pokemon. In reality, she wasn't a trainer at all, only another girl working a summer job in Goldenrod City. Getting up meant spending another long, boring day behind the counter at her parents' shop. It would be so nice to stay in bed a little while longer. 

"Didn't you hear me?" her mother called. "I would think that today of all days, you would get yourself out of bed." 

Her ears pricked up. Was there something special about today? Certainly not the first day of school - it was the middle of the summer. Not a holiday, either. She couldn't even think of any sales that were supposed to happen today. She frowned, trying hard to think, but her brain was always a bit slow starting in the morning. However, her curiosity never quit, so she crawled out from under her blankets and began hurriedly dressing herself. 

By the time she was dressed, garbed in a pair of sensible denim shorts and a less-than-sensible gauzy blue shirt, she was feeling a bit more alert. She even hummed a bit as she stood in front of the mirror, brushing out her long and unusually pale hair and pulling it into a pair of pigtails to keep it out of her face. She shook them a bit to make sure they held, and grinned at her reflection. Next to it, another face smiled back serenely. 

Of course, that was the way Aurora had wanted it. The face was on a poster, positioned just so it would reflect this way. It looked at her from other places in her room, too - more posters, magazine and newspaper clippings, even statuettes, all depicting the same woman. Even in her earliest memories, Aurora had always been fascinated with Clair, the Dragon Master of Blackthorn city, and that admiration had only grown as she'd gotten older. These days, it was almost an obsession. Aurora's ambition was to meet Clair someday. Even better, she would have loved to be her apprentice, the lucky girl who the Gym Leader taught to master the arts of dragon-training to run the Gym in her place someday. Unfortunately, you had to have Pokemon to be a Gym Leader, and that was one area where Aurora was sadly lacking. 

Shaking her head to clear away such gloomy thoughts, she wandered over to her wall calendar, which, predictably, had a theme of Dragon-type Pokemon. The sight of a few baby Dratinis splashing in a pool cheered her up a bit. Picking up a marker, she went to mark off another day, and she glanced down at the date. Her stomach gave a funny lurch. 

"It's today," she murmured, with a weird mix of joy and dismay. "I don't believe I forgot! Today's the day!" 

In a daze, she wandered downstairs to breakfast, and found her family already gathered around the table waiting for her. 

"Morning, Aurora!" called her younger brother Davey. "Happy birthday! How does it feel to be eleven?" 

"The same as it did when I was ten," Aurora retorted. It wasn't an honest answer; just the thought of it was making her insides flutter. Tradition older than anyone could remember said that children wishing to become Pokemon masters began their training at age eleven. Aurora had been five years old when she had first decided that the life of a trainer was the one for her, and six years had seemed like plenty of time to convince her parents, but now... 

"I suppose you think this is something special," said her father, looking over his paper. 

"It is," said Aurora boldly. "I could start training today, if I wanted to." 

"If you had a Pokemon," her mother amended. 

"And if you didn't have responsibilities," answered her father. "You know you're needed here. someone has to look after the store, you know. Your mother and I can't do it alone." 

"I know," said Aurora glumly. 

Her parents owned a shop here in Goldenrod City, selling PokeGear to hopeful trainers. Aurora had always taken her turn, watching trainers come and go - and sometimes come again, if they proved unsuited to the difficult life of a trainer. More often, though, she would hear proud words from their friends and family, talking about the dangerous Pokemon they'd captured, the intense battles with other trainers, the Gym Badges they'd claimed. Some of them had gone all the way to the Indigo Plateau, and as far away as the Gyms in Kanto. And in the meantime, Aurora minded a shop after school. 

"_I'm_ getting old enough to watch the shop," said Davey. "Mom, Dad, if Aurora becomes a trainer, can I...?" 

"Maybe," said his father. "Aurora, listen. Training is a difficult life. I tried it when I was your age. I didn't make it past the first Gym, and I tried. It broke my heart to see those Pokemon who trusted me being beaten again and again. I don't know if you can handle that." 

"I won't have to," said Aurora stubbornly. "I'll train my Pokemon to win. You'll see, Dad. I'll be the greatest trainer to ever come out of Goldenrod - maybe all of Johto!" 

"And what about your responsibilities here?" her father asked. 

"Davey can handle it. He's good with that mechanical stuff - he likes it. He'll be happy here, and I never will until I get a chance to prove myself!" 

"So, you're really determined to leave?" asked her mother. "You know, once you leave, there's no coming back until it's over. Think about all you'll miss here." 

Aurora lowered her head. "There's nothing to miss. I'm not happy here - and you know it, too!" 

Her father sighed. "I thought it might be just an early case of teenaged angst... but if you're really determined, we won't do you any good holding you back. You'll just find some way to run off without out permission, probably without proper supplies, and get yourself in trouble. Here." 

Out from under the table, he took out two packages. One was a large box that rattled in interesting ways when he moved it. The other was a small sack that he carried gently. 

"Happy birthday, Aurora," he said. 

Stunned, Aurora reached out to open the box - and gasped in surprise. The box contained a set of PokeGear, the best her parents carried, equipped with a phone, a radio, maps of Johto and Kanto, and considerable storage space. Checking its contents, she was surprised to see that it contained six PokeBalls and an assortment of Potions and Antidotes. For a moment, she goggled at it all. Then, wondering what else could possibly be in the other bundle, she undid the bag's lacings and carefully tipped its contents onto the table. A single PokeBall rolled out. She picked it up and stared at it a moment, then turned unbelieving eyes on her father. 

"Is this...?" she began. 

"A Pokemon, yes," he replied. "Not a very good one, but it was the best we could do on short notice." 

"Oh." She turned the ball over in her hands, glancing back at the pack. "You gave me six PokeBalls. I only need five to make a full team." 

"Well, it never hurts to have a spare," said her father. "Besides, like I said, it's not a very _good_ Pokemon. Just enough to get you started." 

"Oh," said Aurora again. "Well... thanks. Thank you very much!" 

"Just put it to good use," said her father. 

"Breakfast," said her mother, setting down a stack of pancakes. 

Aurora ate her food without tasting it. Her whole attention was riveted on her gifts, and she couldn't stop looking at the PokeGear, pressing its buttons, admiring the cards. From time to time, her hand would go down to the ball clipped at her belt. She wished she dared open it at the breakfast table, but she had a notion that would cause something of a commotion. For all she knew, there might be a Koffing in there that might fog up the kitchen for hours. Safer to release it outside. Still, she was itching to know what kind of Pokemon she was going to start her journey with, but the look in her father's eyes told her it would be safer not to ask. Instead, she bolted her meal as fast as she could and regarded her mother soulfully. She wasn't disappointed. 

"I guess you want to leave right away," mom said. "I packed you a few sandwiches and things. They'll last you for a while, until you get to the next Pokemon Center." 

"Thanks, Mom, you're the best!" Aurora enthused, eagerly grabbing the satchel she was offered. "Thank you too, Dad. This means the world to me. I won't let you down!" 

He looked like he wanted to say something - maybe that she'd already let him down by not wanting to spend all her life as a shop clerk - but he swallowed it. "Good luck. You'll need it." 

She got to her feet, slinging the bag over her shoulder and clipping the PokeGear onto her wrist. "I'm going! See you guys!" 

"Bye, Aurora!" Davey called. "Come back and show me when you get all your Badges!" 

Aurora grinned at him and darted out the door. Sunshine splashed down over her eyes, dazzling her, and she laughed as a morning breeze whisked through her long hair, reminding of her dream of sunsets and flying. Time for that dream to come true! 

~*~

The guard at the Goldenrod City gate was helpful. 

"Excuse me," said Aurora, standing on tiptoe to look over his desk. "I need to know the best way to get to Blackthorn." 

"Blackthorn?" he repeated. "Why would you be wanting to go there?" 

"I - I've got an interest in Dragon-type Pokemon," she said. If she told him her real reasons for going, he'd turn her around and point her to Violet City. Nobody ever began their training by picking fights with Clair, but a fight wasn't what Aurora wanted. "I wanted to see a few close-up, and I hear that's the best place to do it." 

"True," he mused. "Still, there's no easy way to be getting straight to Blackthorn, not from here. No matter which way you go, you'll still have a long, hard trek." 

"Then it won't matter which way I go, will it?" asked Aurora. "Just tell me how to get there, please. My Pokemon will protect me on the road." 

"Well... the shortest route would be to go north, but you'd have to be passing through the Ice Caves, and them's dangerous for little girls alone. On the other hand, you could take the go east and try the mountain pass - still hard, but not as cold. That's the way I'd go if I were you." 

"And how do I get to the mountain pass?" Aurora wanted to know. 

"Go to Violet City, and then to Cherrygrove. You can use this gate or the North Gate - either road will get you there," he replied. 

"Thanks!" Aurora replied, skipping away merrily. 

"Of course," the guard began, but the girl had already rushed through the gate and out of sight. He sighed. "Of course, if you go _that_, you have to go through Ilex Forest, and Union Cave, and the Ruins of Alph... Kids these days! They don't listen!" 

Unaware of all of that, Aurora trotted happily along, enjoying the feel of the wind and sun. It was the perfect day to start out on a journey - a little breezy, enough clouds to keep things cool, but still drenched in summer sunshine. The scenery here was pleasant, too - lots of waving grass, trees, and sparkly ponds. It was quiet except for the calls of birds and bugs in the grass. 

"This would be a good time to let my Pokemon out," she decided. She unclipped the ball and held it up. "All right, whatever you are - _I chose you!_" 

The ball opened up, spitting out a ball of red-orange light, which grew larger and more solid until it was not light at all, but a Pokemon. 

"Spear!" it called. "Spear! Spearow!" 

Aurora looked at the Spearow. The Spearow looked back. Like all of its kind, it was a small brown bird, with a sharp hooked beak and gleaming golden eyes, which it fixed defiantly on Aurora. Despite the fact that it seemed alert and strong, it looked a little on the thin and underfed side. A lot of its feathers were missing, and its beak and claws were battered. There was a long scar across its face, holding one eye half-closed, giving it a villainous squint. 

"What happened to you?" Aurora asked. She was horrified. When her father had told her she wasn't getting a good 'mon, she'd though he'd meant something weak, like a Magikarp or a Hoppip. _This_ was the furthest thing from her mind! 

"Spear," said the Spearow. It hopped up to her and pecked at the PokeBall in her hand. 

"You got hurt when the captured you? Is that it?" 

The bird shook its head. "Spear, spear! Spearow!" It fluttered around in circles, flapping its wings and slashing crazily at the air. It took a moment for Aurora to realize it was pantomiming a battle. 

"Oh, you got hurt in a fight?" she asked. 

"Spear!" 

"Okay, a _lot_ of fights." 

"Spear, spear, spear!" The Spearow hopped over to peck at her again, this time clicking his beak against her PokeGear. 

"What's that got to do with anything?" Aurora asked. "Oh, wait a minute, I think I get it. Your trainer pushed you to this?" 

"Spearow!" it answered positively. 

"Your trainer did this to you? What a monster! How could anybody do this to a Pokemon?" 

"Spear, spear!" The Spearow lowered its head, fixing his scarred eye on her, raising its hackles and clicking its sharp beak. 

"I guess he didn't like you, huh?" asked Aurora. "That's no excuse!" 

"Spear," said the Spearow. He pecked the ball again. 

"An empty Pokeball? Don't tell me he abandoned you!" 

"Spearow." The bird hung its head sadly. 

"Why would he do that?" 

In reply, the Spearow did his battle-act again, only this time he allowed himself to fall to the ground, obviously beaten. Then he did his angry dog impression again. 

"Okay, let me get this straight. Your trainer mistreated you, and since he didn't take good care of you, you started losing fights, so he decided you were too bad-tempered and too weak to keep. Is that what you're saying?" 

The bird nodded, and Aurora felt a weird sensation inside. It was hard for her to believe she was holding a conversation with something that couldn't say anything but "Spearow," and even harder to believe she was understanding him even through his limited mode of communication. 

"Well, _I_ like you," she said decisively. "You have a right to be bad-tempered, after all you've been through. You know what? My parents don't like the way I behave, either." 

"Spearow?" 

"Yeah. I want to be a fighter. They want me to stay at home and do their boring work for them. And then I'm supposed to grow up and get married to some dull old shop-clerk and raise up lots of little stock-boys and sales-girls." 

"Spearow!" 

"Yeah, I know, it stinks. I mean, I know Goldenrod's famous for its shopping center, but give me a break! We have a gym, too, you know, and our Gym Leader's a girl, just like I am - not _that_ much older than me, even! You think they'd know." 

"Spear, spear, spearow." 

"Yeah, people can be pretty silly sometimes," Aurora agreed. "Hey, did your trainer ever give you a name?" 

"Spear." The bird dropped its head and ruffled its feathers. 

"No, huh?" 

"Spear!" 

"And you wouldn't want it if he had. All right, how about _I_ give you a name?" 

The Spearow thought it over. It flipped its wings in something that looked a bit like a shrug. 

"Maybe?" Aurora interpreted. 

The bird tilted its head, giving her a skeptical look. 

"You'll answer if it's a name you like," said Aurora. "How about... Scar? It suits you. It's a warrior's name." 

"Spearow!" said the bird. It flapped its wings again, and this time, it sounded like applause. 

"I guess that's it, then," she answered, grinning. "Well, Scar, my name's Aurora. We're going a long way, you and I." 

"Spear?" Scar looked around, as if trying to see where they were going. 

"Well, for starters, we're headed for Azalea Town," answered Aurora, checking her map. "Hm. Ilex Forest is between here and there. I've heard that's rough." 

"Spear, spear, spear!" Scar pecked and slashed at the air. 

"Looks like you're game," Aurora answered. "And I'm ready if you're ready. Hm." 

She studied the Pokemon a bit. The look in his eyes was telling her that maybe she was nicer than his last trainer, but that didn't mean he was ready to trust her, not by a long shot. After all, Spearows were famous for their ferocity, and this one was likely to have twice the bad temper of an ordinary Spearow. She was going to have to mind her manners around him, if she was going to rely on him as her lead Pokemon. 

*_But I'm going to train dragons,_* said one little part of her mind. *_Spearows are tough Pokemon, but they aren't dragons. They aren't anything like them._* 

*_I can't just abandon him,_* she answered herself. *_Not after what he's already been through._* 

She had seen what became of Pokemon like that. Despite their best efforts at lawkeeping, no one had ever been able to throttle down all the activities of Team Rocket and smaller local gangs, and big cities like Goldenrod were magnets for lawbreakers. The Pokemon they used eventually became shattered, lashing out at anything that came near them, until they finally had to be put down to relieve them of their misery. Poor Scar had barely avoided that fate, it seemed, and Aurora wasn't going to bring him any closer to it. 

*_After all,_* she reasoned, *_even Clair had to fight her way through the Gyms before they would have made her a Gym Leader. She wouldn't have started out as a Dragon Master. Even she would have had to begin with something ordinary, like an Oddish... or a Spearow._* 

"You know," she said, "there was a famous Pokemon trainer, Ash Ketchum. He let his Pikachu walk around loose, outside of a PokeBall. How would you like that? You'll be free to come and go as you please." 

Scar regarded her as if he was sure she was up to something. She gave him an encouraging smile and deposited his PokeBall into her Gear. 

"See? No Ball, no capture. Now I can't push you around so much." 

"Spear!" Scar agreed. He hopped up to her side and tugged briefly on her shirt, letting the smooth material run through his beak. It took her a moment to process the odd mannerism: he was preening her, an avian gesture of friendship. She grinned at him. 

"You like that, huh? It's a deal then. You keep me safe in the forest, and I'll let you do your thing. Agreed?" 

"Spear!" The bird hopped a few paces, then turned his head to give her his squinty-eyed look, obviously wanting her to get a move on. Laughing, she hurried to catch up with him. She decided that, as usual, her father was wrong. She had gotten a good Pokemon, after all. 

~*~

According to her PokeGear, the time was a little before noon. According to Aurora's eyes, it was midnight and gaining fast. The trees that grew in Ilex Forest might have well been a solid roof, for all the light they allowed to pass, and she was beginning to think she'd trade off all her gear for a Flash HM. The path wound around and about until she had no notion what direction she might be heading, or even if she was just walking in circles. The noises of things scurrying in the trees made her nervous, and she kept glancing over her shoulder - not that it did any good. Visibility was limited only to a few feet in all directions before everything faded into black shadows. Scar seemed undisturbed; he hopped along, occasionally harrying a wandering Weedle or sniffing out berry bushes. 

"I don't like this place," she muttered. "I wish I had gone the other direction!" 

Scar didn't comment. He'd found a bush and was busy gulping down berries. Aurora shrugged, thinking that he was probably quite happy here. From his ragged appearance, she guessed he hadn't been feeding too well lately, and it would do him good to be able to forage a while. 

Suddenly, a dark shadow whizzed over her head, screeching at her. Aurora shrieked a bit herself, ducking and covering her head. The Zubat fluttered to a halt and turned around to swoop at her again. She looked up, saw what was flying at her with wings spread and fangs bared, and she screamed at a new level of intensity. 

"I hate bats! I hate them, I hate them!" she cried, trying to defend herself and hide at the same time. The Zubat shot over her, missing her by inches. She waved at it, trying vaguely to smack it, and wound up losing her balance and falling into a bush. She thrashed around, trying desperately to free itself from its branches. Zubats would bite humans if they were hungry enough, and the idea of that nasty little fluttering thing sinking its fangs into her was enough to make her frantic. 

There was a rushing noise and a loud screech. Aurora looked through the darkness, just able to see the ragged shape that could only be Scar. It threw itself at the Zubat, slashing at it with his sharp beak, until the bat gave a squeak and hurried off to find easier pray. A few seconds later, Scar was at her side, tugging at her shirt, trying to help her up. Calming now that the danger was gone, Aurora was able to scramble out of the shrub's grip. 

"Thanks a lot," she said fervently. "You have no idea how much I loathe bats." 

"Spear..." said Scar soothingly. 

They moved on. Aurora hadn't thought the forest could get any darker, but it did, as the sun moved past its zenith and took what little light it had been giving so far. Everything looked grey and ghostly. 

"I sure hope we get out of here soon," Aurora said nervously. "Not only is it dark and spooky in here, which it is, but I'm bushed. What do you say we break for lunch, Scar?" 

Scar voiced no objections, so Aurora settled down at the base of what looked to be a reasonably safe tree, but only after Scar had flown up and given it a thorough bat inspection. Finding nothing but a couple of sleepy Hoothoots, Scar returned to the ground to share a sandwich with Aurora. 

"Eat fast," she advised him. "I know I'm going to." 

She sat back, closing her eyes to blot out the unpleasant scenery. A few seconds later, she realized she should have been a little more alert, as something reached out of the darkness and grabbed her shoulder. 

"Eeek!" she squealed. 

"Yow!" said something in the darkness. "Man, bust my eardrums, why doncha? You're the screamin'est person I ever met." 

"Huh?" Aurora turned and squinted into the shadows. "Who's there? Who said that?" 

"I did," a voice replied. Out of the darkness stepped a girl, no older than Aurora, with short dark hair and rosy cheeks. She grinned. "Scared ya, didn' I?" 

"You sure did!" Aurora replied. "What's the idea of sneaking up on me like that?" 

"Didn' know I was sneakin'," answered the other girl. She had a lazy way of speaking, giving words only casual pronunciation. "I was just hangin' around, mindin' my own business, an' I hear someone screamin' her head off, so I go and take a look. Thought I'd follow ya a bit, case ya were up to no good. I don' like people bein' up to no good 'less it's me." 

"Well, I'm not up to no good," said Aurora. "I'm just trying to get through this forest without being eaten alive by Zubats. Happy?" 

The girl appeared to be ignoring her. 

"You've got a Pokemon," she commented. "He looks like he's been through the mill. What'd ya do to 'im?" 

"I didn't do anything. I got him used. He came like this." 

"Lousy trainer," said the girl, somehow managing to put all her contempt for such people into two words. "I've got a Pokemon, too, but he's useless. He prob'ly fell asleep back there somewheres. Slowpoke! Sloooowpooooke!" 

There was a moment of silence. Then, somewhere off in the distance, came the sound of pattering feet. They walked a few paces, paused a while, and then took a few more shambling steps. Something yawned loudly. 

"Are you a trainer, too?" asked Aurora. 

"Nope," said the girl, grinning. "My name's Laine. I'm Kurt's granddaughter - you know Kurt, doncha?" 

"Um," said Aurora. "Oh, yeah! He's the one who makes PokeBalls out of Apricorns, right?" 

"You got it," Laine replied. "I'm his apprentice. He teaches me how to make 'em. Mostly I like the work okay, but sometimes I like to get out and wander 'round a bit. My feet get itchy, y'know." 

"Yeah, I know the feeling," Aurora replied. "Hey, listen, if you know your way around here, could you show me the way out of this forest? I really want to get to Blackthorn City in a hurry, and I can't do it while I'm lost in here. 

Laine whistled. "Blackthorn City! That's a far piece down the road. Sure you don't want to go somewhere closer?" 

"No. Blackthorn City is the place for me." Aurora looked determined, and Scar crowed his agreement. 

"Cool," said Laine, grinning again. "If that's _really_ where you wanna go, I can show ya a good shortcut. There's a secret tunnel here that leads under Azalea Town, where I'm from, all the way to Union Cave. You'll save a lot of time." 

"There aren't any bats in the cave, are there?" asked Aurora nervously. 

"'Course there are bats! All caves 'round here have bats. You wanna go to Blackthorn or doncha?" 

"Well..." 

"Then you're gonna have to deal with bats," Laine finished. "Don' worry. Your Pokemon looks like he can handle more than a few bats... so can my Slowpoke, if he ever gets his butt over here. Slowpoke!" 

"Slow..." came the sleepy answer. A pink head poked itself out of the shrubbery and gave Laine a puzzled look. "Poke?" 

"There you are!" said Laine, giving him an exasperated look. To Aurora, she said, "Azalea is fulla Slowpokes, so a'course I had to get one. I'd rather have a cool Pokemon like yours." 

Scar stood up a little straighter and preened his feathers. 

"Well, I _guess_ I can stand a few bats - as long as they don't get too close. By the way, I'm Aurora." 

"Nice name," said Laine. "Come on, 'Rora. The tunnel's this way." 

"I said Aurora, not Rora," Aurora said plaintively, but she followed the smiling girl anyway. 

"Slow?" asked Slowpoke dazedly. 

"Spear, spear," Scar urged. He nipped the Slowpoke on the tail. The 'mon thought about it for a while, then s-l-o-w-l-y got up and began to walk. Scar sighed and began trying to catch up with Aurora. 

Laine led the way confidently through the twisting, shadowy paths, never showing any doubt even when Aurora was sure she couldn't have even seen the path, much less the right fork to take. Finally, they wound up standing in front of what looked like a large, elaborate birdhouse. 

"The Ilex Temple," said Laine proudly. "This is where the tunnel begins." 

"I don't see a tunnel," said Aurora. 

"'Course you don't. Toldja, it's secret," said Laine. "Watch this." 

She walked around the back, squinting through the shadows at the weathered carving. With a cry of delight, she found what she was looking for, reaching out and touching a small carving of a bird. The carving sank into the wood, and the whole structure turned as if on hinges, opening up a dark stairway. 

"After you," she said. 

"Not me! It's pitch black down there!" Aurora protested. 

"Won' be for long," said Laine. She fished around in her pockets and pulled out what looked like a glowing coal, but Laine held it without any evidence of pain. It cast a warm orange-gold light for a radius of several feet. 

"What's that?" asked Aurora, interested. Laine began walking down the stairs, holding up the whatever-it-was to light the way. 

"A Charcoal amulet," she said. Her voice echoed in the small tunnel. "There's a guy in my village who's a fire-smith, and he makes this stuff like I make PokeBalls. I traded him a buncha good ones I made for this. Otherwise, I'd've had to save for a year before I coulda afforded it." 

"Why is it so expensive? It just seems like a useful replacement for a flashlight to me." 

"It's special," said Laine. "For me, it's just a night-light, but if I gave it to a Fire-type Pokemon, it would boost their powers way up. Trainers come from all over to pay out the nose for one. I'll get you one, someday, if you want." 

"What?" yelped Aurora, surprised. "I couldn't ask you to do that, not if they're so expensive." 

"It's nothing. Apricorns don' cost a thing, and people will pay a lot for the Balls we make outta them," Laine answered. "So I can get you Charcoal for nothing. Fun, huh?" 

"I guess," Aurora replied. "But why would you want to give one to me?" 

"No reason," said Laine with a shrug. "I like giving things. And I like you. You're funny." 

"Thanks... I think." 

"You are funny," Laine repeated. "You're not like the girls in Azalea. None of them wanna be trainers. The most they want is to date one a'the guys that hang around Bugsy's gym... or Bugsy, but I don' even think he's that cute. He hangs out with creepy-crawlies all day. So, why are you goin' to Blackthorn? I thought trainers usually started in Violet." 

"It's sort of a private ambition of mine," said Aurora. "Okay, not that private. I want to meet Clair." 

"Clair?" Laine repeated. "Why would you wanna meet her? I hear she's tough." 

"She is tough," Aurora replied. "That's why I want to meet her. She used to be a girl just like me, once upon a time. Now she's the most powerful trainer in Johto. Even the Elite Four respect her! I heard Dragon Master Lance wants to make her his heir someday as leader of the Four. All my life, I've wanted to be just like her, so I'm going to Blackthorn to ask if she'll take me on as one of her junior trainers." 

"With a Spearow?" asked Laine. 

Scar's hackles raised, and Aurora blushed. "I have to start somewhere. Nobody's allowed to catch dragons in Johto without Clair's permission, you know. I'm sure I'll get a real Dragon-type if she hires me." 

"Big if," Laine commented. 

"Well, excuse me for having ambitions!" said Aurora. "You can sit around and hollow out nuts all day, but I'm going to do something impressive!" 

"Hey, hey, hey, calm down!" Laine replied. "I'm not knockin' your ambitions. Heck, I got ambitions, too. Y'know what I wanna do? I wanna be a researcher, like Professor Oak and Professor Elm - only I don' wanna sit indoors messing with computers all day. I wanna go out and live with Pokemon, watch 'em first-hand an' see how they live. That's the only way to really learn about 'em." 

"Oh," said Aurora. 

"I know what you're thinkin'," said Laine. "You're thinkin' I don't act like a professor-type, aren't ya? I'm a country girl, I talk like a country girl, but I'm not stupid. I could be a scientist if I wanted to - and you can be a Dragon Master if you wanna fight for it. But it's gonna take a _lot_ of fighting. Like I said, Clair's tough, and she doesn' like people. She doesn' even like her chosen junior trainers that much, an' she's not gonna like you marchin' up to her and askin' to be trained. You want to be her apprentice, you're gonna hafta work your butt off to get there. That's what I meant." 

"I can work," Aurora replied. She looked down. "What _is_ it, Scar?" 

The Pokemon was almost frantic, hopping around, fluttering his wings and tugging at her shirt. Oddly enough, he wasn't making any sound, and his silence was enough to make the girls stop talking as well. In the silence that followed, they became aware of other sounds. 

"What's that?" Aurora whispered. 

"Dunno," Laine whispered back. "Doesn' sound like Pokemon, I know that much. Should we look?" 

"It's either that or turn around and go back." 

"Oh, good," said Laine. She grinned again. "I wanted an adventure. Move quiet." 

She cupped her hand around the Charcoal, dimming its light so that they could only see where they were putting their feet. However, after they had gone a short distance, they found they didn't need that much light. Someone up ahead was burning torches, filling a large portion of the caverns with a clear golden glow. The girls and their Pokemon ducked behind a heap of rocks, peering out at the activity. A number of men, as well as a few women, were scurrying around busily. Some carried wheelbarrows full of rocks, some pickaxes and shovels, some armloads of electrical equipment. A few stood guard over Pokemon, mostly Rock- and Ground-types, with a few Machops thrown in for good measure, that were busily digging and chopping. Everyone was dressed in black, and every black jacket was marked with a bright red, block-letter "R." 

"Team Rocket?" Laine whispered. "It can't be! They were driven out of Azalea years ago!" 

"I've got news for you," Aurora whispered back. "Every time you drive them out, they just go somewhere else." 

Their whispering stopped as the bustle of activity suddenly ceased. Someone new had stepped into the room, and everyone had dropped what they were doing - some more literally than most - to pay him their respects. He was a boy, no older than fifteen, with red hair that looked as if it would have liked to be spiky if he hadn't let it grow so long. As it was, it fell over his face, shading his eyes in a way that gave his young face a sinister touch. He was dressed in a Rocket uniform of pale blue-white, with long black boots and gloves. If he hadn't had such an angry, arrogant look on his face, he might have been rather handsome. 

"How is work progressing?" he asked. His voice was like black velvet, soft and dark. 

"Very well," one of the grunts replied. "We'll have everything done before you know it." 

"Excellent," the boy replied. "I knew this would be the perfect location. In a place like Ilex Forest, we could build a whole fortress, and no one would ever be the wiser. Even if, by some miracle, someone hears of what we're up to, they'll never find us." 

"Yes, sir," said the grunt, nodding respectfully. 

"Proceed with the wiring as soon as possible," the boy ordered. "The construction of the hub will take more time, but once its done, I want it to have at least partial effect immediately. Once we're done, no Pokemon for miles around will be able to evolve... none but ours, anyway." He smiled. "If their Pokemon can't fight, we'll conquer them easily. Then perhaps we'll let them _buy_ the privilege. We'll sell high, of course. Very, very high." He gave a villainous cackle, and the grunts obediently joined in. 

"What's he talking about?" Laine hissed. 

Aurora thought hard. "They took control of Pokemon evolution through a radio tower, once. It happened in my home town, so I heard all about it. Looks like they want to do it again, only backwards." 

"Backwards?" 

"Working underground instead of above. Stopping them from evolving instead of making it happen too fast." 

"Ouch," said Laine. "Should we do something?" 

"How are we going to do anything against a zillion trained Rockets?" Aurora hissed back. 

Laine sat back and thought. "Hm..." 

"I didn't mean that seriously!" said Aurora. "Listen, we've got to get out of here before-" 

At that moment, a large, tawny animal padded up to the redheaded boy's side. 

"Hello, Persian," he said, stroking its head. "What's that you say? We have intruders? Be a good boy and bring them back for me." 

"Purr," the Persian agreed. It bounded forward, straight for the girls' hiding place, and they let out identical squawks of fear and consternation. The Persian leaped over them, wheeling around to block their exit. Scar flew at it, shrieking and clawing, only to be swatted out of the way with a huge paw. He hit the stone wall and fell, unconscious. Slowpoke looked at him, looked at the Persian, and curled up and went to sleep. 

"You pesky Pokemon!" shouted Laine furiously. She kicked it as the Persian herded her and Aurora forwards. The Slowpoke rolled over and went to sleep. Laine rolled her eyes furiously. "If I live through this, I am going to study every kind of Pokemon there is, but never Slowpokes!" 

They were marched forward to face off with the boy. Laine fumed, but Aurora was able to match his cold look with one of her own. 

"You aren't going to get away with this, you know," she said. "Rockets never get away with anything. Every time they think they've got it good, some kid comes along and wipes the floor with them." 

"Yes," he agreed. "And every time some kid comes along and wipes the floor with us, we find some way to come back, bad as ever. Also, this is the first time Team Rocket has been led by... a _kid_." He gave her a mocking smile. "I approve. I think we have more willpower and audacity than adults. And if anyone had any doubts that I could lead before, they'll forget them when I bring in you two spies. I'm not sure what Uncle will do to you, but I doubt it will be pleasant... unless..." 

"Unless what?" asked Laine. "Unless we get down and beg for mercy? Fat chance." 

"I meant, unless you decide to be reasonable," the boy replied. "Just the fact that you found this place hints that you have some intelligence. Join us, and we'll make it worth your while." 

"I wouldn't join you for all the money in the world," Aurora spat. 

"Then you're foolish as well as annoying," the boy replied. "Men, take these two somewhere safe. If they can't change their minds, then we'll take them to my uncle and let him deal with them." 

"Yes, sir!" said the grunts. Two of them latched on to Aurora and Laine, and another prodded Scar until he woke up and started walking. A fourth tried to rouse Slowpoke, without success. He finally gave up and hauled it along by its tail. 

"You lay off my Slowpoke!" Laine yelled at him. "He may be stupid and useless, but so are you, and you wouldn' want anyone to treat you like that!" 

"Shut your big mouth, girl," one of the grunts snarled. He slapped her, leaving a red blotch across her face. She hissed, more in shock than anything else, but she fell silent. 

At last, the girls were brought to what looked to be a rough-cut door set into an even rougher doorway. 

"Should we leave them here?" one grunt wondered. 

"It's the only room with a lock," another replied. "We don't have a choice." 

"Oh, well." The grunt with the Slowpoke dropped it and went to open the door. The girls and their Pokemon were shoved inside, sending them sprawling across the floor. The door was slammed behind them, and there was the unmistakable click of a lock. 

"I think we're stuck," Laine opined. 

"Yeah," Aurora replied, "but look what we're stuck with!" 

Laine looked. Sitting in the middle of the room was a great computerized mess, bristling with wires and sparkling with a myriad of lights. 

"This must be the thing the Rockets are building," said Aurora, getting up to have a better look at it. 

"Don't touch it! It might blow up, or somethin'," Laine cautioned. 

"It won't," answered Aurora absently. She was busy giving the machine a thorough inspection. "What a mess. Whoever built this barely knew what they were doing. I could make one twice as good with one hand behind my back." 

"Tell that to the Rockets," said Laine. "Maybe they'll let you live until ya do... Man, we are in so much trouble! I shoulda stayed in bed today. If we could just get out of this room..." 

"Maybe we can. Let me look." Aurora went over to the door and squinted through the keyhole. "Just as I thought. It's nothing but a latch. Any girl with a hairpin could get out of this." 

"Yeah, well, we don' have a hairpin," Laine pointed out. 

"True," said Aurora, "but look around. We've got wires, nails, screwdrivers... I could pick a whole army of locks with the stuff in here." She sighed. "That would help if there weren't a real army on the other side of the door. Know any way to get past a bunch of mad Rockets and Pokemon?" 

"Maybe," said Laine. "Didja get a good look at the Pokemon outside?" 

"Sort of." 

"Did they look like trained Pokemon, or just forced labor?" 

Aurora frowned. "Well, I didn't see any PokeBalls... I _guess_ they're just here for as long as the Rockets need tunnels, which means that as soon as they're done tunneling..." She trailed off, feeling sick. 

Laine grinned. "Leave 'em to me. Can you distract the Rockets a minute?" 

"I think I can. Why?" 

"Because those Rockets won' be so tough if I'm commandin' their Pokemon." 

"How are you going to do that?" asked Aurora. "There's no way you could take out all of those Pokemon in just a few minutes!" 

"I don' need to fight 'em. I just need to catch 'em," Laine replied. 

"But you have to fight Pokemon to catch them." 

"No ya don't. Didn' I tell ya, I make custom PokeBalls." She grinned, fishing a small sack from her pocket. "These beauties'll catch all kinds of nifty things." 

"Great," said Aurora. "Then I'll handle the distraction. Hand me that pair of pliers, please." 

Looking bemused, Laine did as she was told. Aurora took the pliers and began walking around the heap of metal, pulling out a wire here, putting it in there, tweaking this, cutting that. 

"Whacha doin'?" asked Laine at last. 

"Remember when I said it wouldn't blow up?" 

"Yeah..." 

"I'm going to change that." 

Laine gave her a wide-eyed look. "You're nuts!" 

"I am not. I used to work on PokeGear all the time. I'm good with electronics," Aurora replied. "I have a feeling that if this thing goes berserk, the Rockets will want to know all about it." 

"If you say so," Laine replied. 

"I say so. There! That should do the trick. If I were you, I'd back up." 

Laine did as she was told, crouching in a corner next to the door. Aurora gave the machine a final tweak, flipped a switch, and ducked for cover. The machine came on with a whine that grew steadily louder, sending off showers of sparks. For a moment, it rocked around as if something was trying to get out, and then it expired with a mighty _POW!_

"Hit the deck!" Aurora commanded, making a dive for the far corner. Laine crouched and covered her head with her hands, while Scar tried to protect both of them with his outstretched wings. Predictably, the Slowpoke took no notice of the commotion, not even when a flying part bounced off of his head. 

Within moments, the Rockets had arrived. The door flew open, crashing noisily into the wall and nearly falling off its hinges as black-garbed grunts poured into the room. 

"What happened in here? Did a bomb go off?" demanded a female grunt. 

"Looks like the hub just blew up," a man offered. 

"I can see that!" she snapped. "You told me this thing was stable!" 

"It was!" 

"Well, it isn't anymore!" said another grunt, whacking his compatriot over the head. "Man! When that kid gets wind of this, we're finished!" 

"Maybe we'd better try to fix it?" said someone anxiously. 

"You'd better," said the woman. "And I'm going to be watching you the whole time, just to make sure you don't foul up again!" 

While the Rockets argued, Aurora beckoned to Laine and began tiptoeing out of the room. They slipped into the hall and ducked into a shadow, Aurora panting from the narrow escape and Laine with her customary crazed grin. 

"My turn," she said. "Now to get some reinforcements!" 

While Aurora watched in amazement, Laine reached for her bag and pulled out a handful of marble-sized PokeBalls, all of them a surprising shade of bright green. Twitching one to full size, she slunk up to the work area where the slave Pokemon were still hacking along, digging out heaps of rock with beaten looks in their eyes. Squinting in concentration, Laine picked a target and lobbed the Ball. It soared in a graceful arc to strike a surprised Machop. It vanished in a flare of green light, and the ball returned to Laine's hand. Her eyes widened. 

"Wow," she said. "That was impressive." 

"You mean you didn't really know it would work?" asked Aurora, aghast. 

"Well, I kinda figured they weren't in much of a shape to fight back," said Laine with a half-shrug. "Here, you try it!" She shoved a handful of the green PokeBalls into Aurora's hands. 

Aurora gave a shrug of her own. "Guess this is a good time to practice catching Pokemon." 

Soon the air was full of flying PokeBalls and green lights. One by one, the slaves vanished, while the pile of filled Balls rose higher. Just as Aurora was beginning to enjoy herself, Scar nipped her sharply on the elbow, making her drop the last Pokemon she'd captured. 

"Shh!" she hissed at Laine. "Someone's coming!" 

It was the redheaded boy again, flanked by a pair of other Rockets. They looked high- ranking; they wore nice suits instead of the standard black outfits. 

"...can tell him things are progressing ahead of schedule," the boy was saying. "I will not have word of these setbacks getting back to my uncle." 

"It's going to be hard to keep this under wraps," one warned. "The hub was supposed to be operational a week ago. We should have had this area covered already." 

"Then we'll just have to work faster. Take some shortcuts," answered the boy. "We can patch things up later if they go wrong. Right now, the important thing is to have _something_ to show here." 

"That could be dangerous," the other Rocket commented. "You know he'll want to move immediately, as soon as he gets word that we've done something." 

"Then we'd better move immediately," answered the boy, his voice dangerous. 

"Yes, sir!" the Rockets answered. 

"I don't care what it takes," said the boy. "Have them work around the clock! Bring in more Pokemon... Where _are_ the Pokemon, anyway?" 

"I don't know. They were here a minute ago..." 

"Great! Everything's behind schedule, then we have spies, and now the Pokemon disappear... What else can go wrong?" 

"How 'bout us routing your little organization completely?" asked Laine, stepping out from behind a rock. She was casually tossing one of the PokeBalls and giving him her manic grin. 

"You know what?" said Aurora, stepping up behind her friend. "I don't like people who misuse Pokemon. Nothing makes me madder. I think I should do something about it, don't you?" 

The redhead gave her a vicious smile. "I think you should have stayed in your prison. You're really in for it now! Persian, get them!" 

"Persian!" roared the great cat, bounding into view. "Purr, Persian!" 

"Oh, would you look at that," said Aurora. "A Persian. Evolved from Meowth, I believe. Normal-type. Not a lot of weaknesses, really... only Fighting moves are effective against them, and - what do you know? I just happen to have one. Go, Machop!" 

She lobbed a Pokeball, and a freshly caught Machop burst into view. Aurora hadn't been expecting much, not from such a recently-captured Pokemon, but it spotted the Persian and attacked instantly. With a swift karate chop, the big cat was sent scurrying away with its tail between its legs, rather than stand up to an angry Fighting Pokemon. 

"Hey, come back here!" the redhead shouted. "Coward! When I tell my uncle about this, he'll have you replaced with a Magikarp! Come back, you lousy Pokemon!" 

"Chop, chop! Machop!" said the victor, posing for Aurora. 

"What just happened?" asked Aurora. "Why'd he fight for me like that?" 

"Those were Friendship Balls," Laine answered. "They'll make any Pokemon ya catch like ya... at least for a little while. Long enough for us ta teach this punk a lesson!" 

"You haven't beaten me, not by a long shot!" the boy snarled. 

"Oh, yeah?" said Aurora. "What are you going to do? You can't fight us when we've got all your Pokemon. We'll use them, if we have to." 

"Fun. Just one little problem," answered the boy. "I'm a trainer, too. Behold!" 

From his belt, he unclipped a ball and held it high. 

"Seadra," he said. "An evolved Water-type, which just so happens to be strong against Rock- and Ground- types. I believe that's the majority of what you have there in those PokeBalls. Now who's making the threats?" 

"I am," said Laine. "And now I say that if you knew what was good for you, you'd look down by your right foot." 

"Huh?" 

The boy looked down. Sitting at his feet was a large pink Pokemon. 

"Slow?" it said. 

"And what is that supposed to do to me?" asked the boy. 

"Slow... poke!" shouted the Slowpoke. It spat out a stream of bubbles, drenching the redheaded boy with water and blowing the PokeBall out of his hands. It bounced and rolled off into a corner. He tried to make a lunge for it, but Scar gave it a swat with his wing and sent it rolling down the tunnel and into the darkness. 

"Good boy, Slowpoke!" Laine shouted. "I told ya he was good for somethin'!" 

"Way to go, Scar!" said Aurora. She hugged the bird, making its eyes widen in surprise. 

"Oh, Raticates!" the boy muttered, trying to shake the water out of his hair. 

Just then, one of the Rocket grunts came scampering up, cringing and kowtowing before this child half his age. 

"Hey, boss," he said, "they sent me to tell you - something's happened to the hub. I dunno what's been done to it, but it'll take weeks to fix! Looks like somebody sabotaged it. 

"Sabotage," the boy repeated. He looked speculatively at the girls. "Lovely. We've been outsmarted by a couple of smirking females! How dare you be so careless as to let them anywhere near that machine?" 

The grunt mumbled something and began backing away, trying to fade into the shadows. A glare from the redhead sent him away at a run. He looked back at the girls, who faced him calmly, each holding a PokeBall at ready. 

"You're clever," he said at last. "All right. I concede victory this time... but don't think you've won the war, Winter-Hair. Team Rocket will be back. You can count on it." 

"Don't be so cocky, Fire-Top," said Aurora. "If you can be beaten by a couple of little girls, who couldn't beat you?" 

The boy scowled. "My name is Ember. Remember it. We'll meet again, and next time, you'll pay." 

"My name is Aurora," she replied. "I'll look forward to seeing you." 

Scowling furiously, Ember turned and stalked off, muttering to himself. 

"Man, this was supposed to be my first big project! My uncle is going to skin me alive..." He wandered away to look for his missing PokeBall. 

Aurora grinned. 

"Game over, Machop," she said. "Come on back!" 

The Machop hopped eagerly back into his Ball, and Aurora handed it back to Laine. Scar gave it an accusatory stare. 

"What's his problem?" Laine asked. 

"He's mad because I let the Machop do the fighting instead of him," said Aurora. "It's okay, Scar. I'm not going to keep him. You could whip him any day. Don't you know Flying- types have the advantage over Fighting?" 

That appeared to soothe his ruffled feelings a bit. He preened Aurora's shirt to let her know he forgave her. 

"Come on," said Laine. "Let's get out of here before anything else weird happens." 

"I'm with you," Aurora agreed. 

Together, the two struck out down the tunnels. 

~*~

A short while later, two girls and two Pokemon stepped out Union Cave and into the sunlight. 

"I am so glad to be out of that!" said Aurora, tilting back her head to enjoy the sun on her face. 

"What was so bad about that?" Laine asked. "We busted up some Rockets an' rescued a buncha Pokemon. I think we did a good day's work... Were you serious when you said you weren' gonna keep any of 'em?" 

Aurora nodded. "It wouldn't be right. I want to make friends with Pokemon the old fashioned way. That's the only way to do it... Right, Scar!" 

"Spearow!" it agreed fervently. 

"Ya could be right," said Laine thoughtfully. "Oh, well. We'll send 'em home, then. Will you do us a favor, Slowpoke?" 

Slowpoke yawned. 

"I'll take that as a yes," Laine answered. "It's more reaction than I usually get." 

She reached into her pack and pulled out a notebook and a pen, and began jotting down what looked like a letter. Aurora tried to read over her friend's shoulder. 

"What are you writing?" she asked. 

"Letter to my grandpa," Laine replied. "Tellin' him I'm sendin' a buncha Pokemon that need good homes. He'll see to it they go to good trainers who'll treat 'em right. Also, telling him I'm goin' to Blackthorn with you." 

"You are?" asked Aurora, stunned. "What for?" 

"'Cause it'll be fun!" Laine replied. "Besides, didn't I tell you I've got itchy feet? I wanna see a bit more of the world than Azalea Town. Besides, I'm interested in Dragon Pokemon... and someone has to keep ya outta trouble." 

"I can stay out of trouble," said Aurora. 

"Not when you've got an angry Rocket on your tail." 

"Who, Ember?" Aurora replied. "He's not a problem, he's an advantage. All great Pokemon trainers have great rivals." 

Laine gave her a look of puzzlement mixed with respect, as if she'd just encountered a whole new breed of lunatic. 

"Yup, you are a funny girl," she said at last. "I'm gonna enjoy hangin' around you. Besides, you as good as saved my life back there. If you hadn' been there, those Rockets prob'ly woulda fed me to a... a... well, I don't know what they'd feed me to, but I'm sure they'd have thought of something." 

"You would have managed. We couldn't have done anything back there if you hadn't had those PokeBalls of yours." 

"Which wouldn't have done me a bit of good if you hadn't been there. I still owe you," said Laine stubbornly. 

"Whatever," Aurora laughed. "We can argue about it on the way to Blackthorn! Come on!" 

They hurried up the road, laughing, as Scar flew happily above their heads in the clear blue sky. 

*_I'm really doing it!_* thought Aurora. *_Today I'm going to become a real Dragon trainer!_* 


	2. Stage Two - The Man From Violet City

**Stage Two: The Man From Violet City**

  


**By: SilvorMoon**

A tiny lamp sat in the center of the table, doing little to illuminate its surroundings, or the inhabitants of the room. That was as they wanted it. They were taking no chances - even if someone were foolish or unlucky enough to interrupt this meeting, the intruder would never get a good look at them. They could barely see each other, catching only the glint of dark eyes or the occasional wink of jewelry. Beneath the table, a pair of Pokemon eyed each other warily, each ready to protect its master or mistress at any moment. 

"You told me it was going to work this time," said a woman's accusatory voice. 

"A setback," said the man mildly. "You should know history is paved with setbacks." 

"Your history is paved with failures. I should never have trusted you." 

"Patience, my dear. The project is barely begun. Now is not the time to be telling me we've failed." 

"Your lovely mechanical device was destroyed," said the woman pointedly. "That sounds like a failure to me. You promised me you'd have this whole island under your thumb within months. You promised me no Pokemon would be able to evolve by the time the summer was over. Your time is half up." 

"It was a mechanical failure. Machines can be repaired. My nephew is young and inexperienced; I had made allowances that the things under his command would go wrong. Don't worry, everything is still under control." 

"I don't believe a word of it," said the woman. "I certainly don't put a lot of trust in that nephew of yours. Children aren't trustworthy. They're ruthless, Giovanni. They're too young to have learned to fear - they'll dare anything. They can destroy a person." Her hands clenched beneath the table, out of sight, but Giovanni could see her shoulders trembling. 

"How well I know," he said. "I had my empire unseated by that Ketchum boy, and you..." 

"My entire life," she said. "I lost everything I valued to a child." 

"And I am the only one who will understand that," said Giovanni. "I am the only one who can help you. Just have a little more patience." 

The woman took a deep breath, resuming her icy calm. "Yes. In this, at least, we are allies. Just take care that no one finds out about it." 

"What? That you've been making deals with Rockets?" Giovanni asked, with a touch of amusement. "Don't worry. My reputation would be ruined just as surely if anyone knew I was doing something to aid an honest trainer. Your secret is safe." 

"It had better be," she answered. "You had better go. Someone will miss me if I'm gone much longer." 

"As you wish. Good luck in your training." Giovanni rose to leave. 

"Was that an insult?" asked the woman dangerously. 

"Not at all, dear lady," he replied. "More a prediction of the future. When this little project is finished, I think your training will go very well indeed." 

With that, he glided off into the shadows, leaving the woman alone in darkness. She sighed deeply, making the lamplight flicker. 

"Rockets," she muttered distastefully. "What have I come to? Look what I've been reduced to, making deals with Giovanni to recapture what I've lost... but I _will_ have it. I will be the greatest trainer in the world, greater than I was before, and no one, man, woman, or child, will ever defeat me again." 

~*~

"Don't you ever get tired?" Laine panted. 

"Tired?" Aurora repeated. "How can you even think about being tired on a day like this?" 

The two girls were journey up a long, sandy path, made dusty by days of bright sunlight. Aurora, who was somewhat slimmer and longer-legged than her friend, was finding it an easy trip, and Scar was soaring swiftly on the warm breezes, apparently having the time of his life. Aurora had taken heart in watching him circle above her for a while, then dart off into the woods in search of food, then returning again. She had a notion he was testing her, making sure she wasn't going to try to call him back. Truthfully, she had worried a bit the first time he had flown out of sight, but since he returned to her within a few minutes every time, she had decided to let him get on with it. On the whole, she was enjoying the trip. Laine, on the other hand, was shorter and stockier than her, and was furthermore burdened by a large backpack, which seemed to be filled with notebooks, cameras, PokeBall equipment, and other odds and ends. It was little wonder she was beginning to tire. 

"I don' see how you can still be so perky," Laine muttered. "I didn' get any sleep at all last night." 

"Really?" asked Aurora. "Do you usually snore when you're awake?" 

"Well, okay, maybe a little," said Laine, "but I don' snore, an' it was still uncomfortable sleeping over at a Pokemon Center." 

"Better than on the ground," Aurora answered with a shrug. "Anyway, they gave us breakfast for nothing. Those Pokemon Centers are great places." 

Aurora glanced down at her PokeGear, checking the time. It was nearly noon, just about time for lunch. Even more interesting to her was the fact that she'd officially been a trainer for twenty-four hours now. So far, she hadn't accomplished much, but that would change once she reached her destination. She pushed some more buttons, pulling up a map of the island and her position. 

"We're not far from Violet City," she remarked. "We can stop and have lunch there, and you can rest your feet a while." 

"Now you're talkin'!" said Laine. "That's the best idea you've come up with since I met you." 

"I'm flattered," said Aurora dryly. 

Within minutes, they were able to catch glimpses of distant roofs, painted the bright purple of the city's namesake flower. As they drew closer, Aurora could even pick out individual streets, see people moving around... and she saw the Gym. It was the biggest building in town, perched proudly on a hill and guarded by dozens of small statues. This Gym was run by Falkner, master of the Flying-types, so the statues were of bird Pokemon. Even from a distance, Aurora recognized the shape of a Spearow, and she paused for a moment to admire it. To her left, the trail curved down into the town. On her right, it began moving up, leading toward the mountains. 

"Up or down?" she asked. 

"Down," said Laine firmly. "We need supplies for the road. Have you got any money?" 

Aurora blushed. "No, not really." 

"Figures," said Laine. "I've got a little. How 'bout we go down and get us some food?" 

"You go," said Aurora. "I hate to leave the trail. I'll feel like I'm going backwards." 

"Oh, well. Stay outta trouble, then. Don' let any Rockets or nasty Pokemon sneak up on you," Laine warned. 

"What about you?" Aurora wanted to know. "Will you be okay by yourself?" 

"I'll be fine," she said. "I can take care of myself." 

"And I can't?" Aurora called back. 

Laine didn't answer. She was already heading down the trail into town. With a sigh, Aurora settled down against a tree to wait for her. After a little while, Scar flew down to join her, scratching through the grass and chasing Ledybas. She was absently wondering if perhaps she ought to order him to fight one so she could catch it, when... 

"Sharp looking Spearow you've got there," said a voice. 

Aurora's head snapped around. While she wasn't looking, a man had come up the path, and he was now eyeing Scar with what looked a great deal like professional interest. He was at least twice Aurora's age, though still young enough to be handsome. He had blue hair that stuck up a bit on his head, like feathers, and he was dressed in loose clothing of the same blue, accented with a white vest and a white sash around his waist, like clouds against the afternoon sky. 

"Are you making fun of him?" asked Aurora, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. 

"Who, me? Never," the man replied. "I'm serious. Okay, it does look a little like your bird has had a tough life lately, but I've been training a long time, and I've seen a lot of Pokemon go by. Some of them wash out, and some of them make it all the way to the top. You take my word for it, that Spearow's one of the ones that'll make it. You'll go a long way with him." 

"Thanks," said Aurora, blushing a bit. "I'm glad I have your approval. He's had a hard life, but I intend to take good care of him." 

"So this wasn't your doing? I'm glad to hear that," said the man, looking serious. "I'm afraid I see too many characters like this, mistreated by their trainers. It takes skill to train a Spearow, and some people think they can compensate for that skill with force. It's a sad thing. I'm really sort of fond of the old birds. My very first Pokemon was a Spearow," he added, his face going slightly dreamy. "His name was Disagreeable. He lived up to it, too." 

"How would he have behaved if you'd named him Agreeable?" Aurora asked. 

The man laughed. "Disagreeable! You have no idea. Look at this." He slipped on of his gloves off, revealing a hand that was as much scar as smooth skin. "He did half of that to me. My father wanted me to learn how to handle anything, so he gave me the most obstinate, bad- tempered Pokemon he could find." 

"This is my first Pokemon, too," said Aurora, reaching out to ruffle Scar's feathers affectionately. "I think we get along pretty well." 

"You look like it," he answered. "How long have you had him? A few weeks, at least, I'm guessing." 

"Actually, this is only our second day," Aurora admitted. 

"Ah!" An eager light appeared in the man's eyes. "A new trainer, then? Come to face off with Falkner?" 

"No, actually, I'm just passing through," answered Aurora. "I'm going to Blackthorn City with a friend. I hope to see Clair the Dragon Master there." 

"Interesting," said the man, looking speculative. "Very, very interesting. You have high standards, you know that? I met Clair with my father, once, before I started training. She was the most dangerous looking woman I've ever seen, all shadow and ice. She won't take you seriously unless you have a few battles under your belt. How many fights have you won so far?" 

"Well... I haven't had any, yet," said Aurora, hanging her head. "Not real ones. After all, I just started yesterday." 

"Very interesting," said the man. He rubbed his hands together eagerly. "I've just got to try you out now. Would you like to battle with me? It'll be a challenge. I've been told I'm good." 

"I'd love it," said Aurora, her insides fluttering with sudden excitement. Time for her first real battle! "Are you up for it, Scar?" 

"Spear," he answered. 

She gave him a puzzled look. "Was that a yes or a no? Don't worry, I won't make you if you don't want to." 

Scar seemed to consider for a moment before saying, "Spearow!" in what sounded like an affirmative. 

"All right!" Aurora cheered. 

"Are you sure?" the man asked. "This is a serious match. I play for keeps, you know." 

"I'm serious, too," said Aurora. 

"Fine then. Let the games begin." The man pulled back a fold of his sash, briefly revealing a pair of PokeBalls. He picked one up and tossed it. "Go, Pidgey!" 

"Go, Scar!" 

The two birds took to the air, circling each other warily, trying strikes with beaks and claws. Right away, it was obvious that Scar had the advantage - Pidgey's small wings could only carry him but so high, and his beak wasn't meant for pecking and slashing the way Scar's was. It tried to use its wings to stir up a whirlwind; Scar used the winds to ride higher up into the air and dive-bomb his opponent. Pidgey fanned up a dust storm, only to have the broader-winged Spearow fan it back. With a final strike, the Pidgey dropped to the ground in a faint. 

"Pidgey, return!" the man called. He recalled his beaten Pokemon and took out the second Ball. "Pidgeotto, I choose you!" 

"Pidgeotto!" the bird screeched, rising into the sky like a rocket. 

It flew up towards the sun, becoming briefly invisible against the noontime light, then coming down again in a deadly dive. Scar tried to dodge, but Pidgeotto smacked him with one of its huge wings, knocking him out of the sky. He hid the ground hard and let out a cry, even as his opponent dove at him again with claws bared. 

"No!" Aurora shouted. "Don't hurt him anymore!" 

At the last second, Scar rolled over and struggled into the air; one of his wings looked as if it were injured. Regardless, he made a pass at the Pidgeotto, trying to peck at its face, but the larger, faster bird banked and dropped to the ground, passing under its antagonist and rising up again on the other side. It looped around and around, slashing and battering at the Spearow, until the exhausted Scar gave a cry and fell out of the air. He landed hard and lay dazed, struggling to get up. Pidgeotto landed and began hopping over, clicking its beak menacingly. 

"Don't! Stop it!" Aurora shouted. "I give up! Scar, come back!" 

The dazed bird turned his head to look at his trainer. Aurora stared back, biting her lip, unaware of the tears that were building in her eyes. In the next second, Pidgeotto's beak came down... on nothing at all. Scar was in the air again, laboring but still rising higher and higher. The Pidgeotto looked up and tried to follow, but its larger bulk made it hard for him to take off. By the time he was flying again, Scar was already nothing more than a dark dot against the sky. With a wild battle cry, he fell like a stone to strike the Pidgeotto. They hit with a crash, and there was a brief tangle of feathers as Aurora held her breath and watched. Then Scar rose into the air again, crowing victory, while Pidgeotto fell head over tailfeathers to the ground, and stayed there. 

"Game over!" called the man. "Pidgeotto, return!" 

"Wahoo!" shouted Aurora, dancing around in excitement. Scar came down next to her, looking at her in puzzlement, and she knelt down to hug him tightly. 

"Good match," said the man, smiling broadly. "See? I told you that he was a good Pokemon." 

Aurora turned and gave him a long, hard look. 

"You went easy on me," she said. "You must have. There's no way a Pokemon I've had for a day could beat those two you've been training. An evolved Pokemon should have been stronger than him. You held back." 

"I did no such thing," the man answered soothingly. "Believe me, I hate being beaten as much as the next trainer. You two won fair and square... and you would have won, I think, no matter what I did. Didn't you see what happened?" 

"I don't know," said Aurora uncertainly. "I tried to call Scar back, and he wouldn't come." 

"You were crying. Did you know that? No, don't look insulted - I'm very impressed. You've taken an abused, bad-tempered old bird who shouldn't want anything to do with humans ever again. You've had him _one day_ and he trusts you enough to fight for you. You let him wander free knowing he could leave you any time. You cried when he was hurt. He won that battle because he wanted to, for your sake, because of the bonds of love and trust you two share. That has nothing to do with me. With a little more training, I don't think Lance himself will be a better Pokemon trainer than you, and I don't say that lightly." 

Aurora gawked. Scar gave a loud squawk to make sure his opinion on all that mushy stuff was known and hopped off to hunt Caterpies. The man chuckled. 

"I was also going to add that I've noticed the way you can talk to each other, but anybody should have been able to understand _that_. Here. As the victorious trainer, you win the forfeit." He reached into a pocket of his vest and took out a sack of coins. "And don't tell me it's too much, either. It's not that often I'm beaten these days, and you'll need it on your journey." 

"Thank you," said Aurora. 

"You're welcome," said the man with a small bow. "It's been fun. It's refreshing to meet someone like you, who treats her Pokemon with respect. Now I think I'd better take my own partners to a Pokemon Center to patch them up. I'll be seeing you, I hope." He turned and began walking away. 

"Hey!" Aurora called. "Wait up! I wanted to ask you... can I have your phone number?" 

"Phone number?" he repeated, looking mildly surprised. 

"You know," said Aurora. "Trainers give each other their phone numbers so they can give each other tips and have rematches. I think I'd like to battle you again sometime. You're a good trainer." 

The man smiled enigmatically. "Would you know who you were phoning?" 

"Well, not by name..." 

"And it's going to stay that way," the man replied. "I'm sorry, but I think I'd prefer to keep my privacy. Like I said, it's not that often I'm beaten, and I don't want word to get around. Please excuse me." 

"That's all right," said Aurora, trying not to hide her disappointment. She had to admit, she liked this man who cared so much about Pokemon. It would have been nice to have him as a friend. 

"I'll be seeing you again, I think," he said. "Goodbye! Goodbye, Scar." 

He turned and ambled down the road, into Violet Town. Aurora sighed, full of mixed emotions. Part of her was exulting that she had won her very first battle, another part basking in her opponent's praises, but the last part was still feeling a bit sorry it was all over. With a shrug, she turned on her PokeGear to take out a bottle of Potion to help Scar recover from his battle. While he was still sipping at it, Laine returned. 

"Potions?" she said. "Good grief, what have you been doin' out here?" 

"Battling," Aurora replied. "I am a trainer, after all." 

"Didja win?" asked Laine eagerly. 

"Naturally! Too bad you missed it. Scar was so awesome... and the trainer was nice. Too bad he had to run off before you could have met him." 

"Yeah, he musta been nice," said Laine, eyeing the sack of money. 

Aurora shrugged. "He said he wasn't beaten that often. He seemed to like me, too." 

"Ohhh," said Laine. "'Rora's got a boyfriend!" 

"I do not!" said Aurora, flushing brilliantly. "It wasn't like that. He just thought I was a good Pokemon trainer. If he really liked me like that, he would have given me his phone number when I asked." 

"You asked for his phone number?" Laine repeated. "Ooh, you really did like him, didn't you?" 

"No! I'm telling you it wasn't like that!" said Aurora. "I just... its hard to explain. Like he should have been my father instead of Dad. What do they call it? Kindred spirits. That's what he was. He was a kindred spirit." Scar squawked his agreement. 

"Oh," said Laine. "If you say so." 

"Come on," said Aurora. "We've still got a long way to go until we reach Blackthorn." 

Moving in thoughtful silence, they began to travel once again. 

~*~

Slowly but surely, clouds rolled in. A wind blew by, carrying with it a scent of water and electricity, promising a storm, and the sky had turned from clear blue to a heavy, swirling grey. Scar seemed to feel it; he'd given up his flying to hop along at Aurora's side, casting worried looks at the sky and ruffling his feathers. Aurora tried to soothe him, but she didn't feel much more at ease than he did. They had left Violet City far behind, and were now climbing wearily up the mountain pass, clambering over rocks and ledges. The trail, such as it was, came and went, becoming overgrown with thick weeds or covered in rock slides. Aurora didn't want to think about what it would be like trying to get through the pass in a downpour. 

Oddly enough, Laine, who was usually her voice of reason, didn't even seem to have noticed the clouds. Indeed, she seemed very happy with the situation. After a walking lunch of sandwiches and lemonade, she had perked up from her morning grumpiness, and had spent the afternoon darting back and forth nearly as much as Scar had. Aurora had watched her with bemusement as she scampered off into the weeds with a camera in hand, trying snap pictures of Sentrets or harvesting multicolored Apricorns from the bushes they passed. Now she had a pair of binoculars pressed to her eyes, stumbling on the rocky trail as she kept her eyes on the sky while still not seeming to realize that the weather had taken a turn for the worse. On the contrary, by her attitude, one would have thought she was expecting something wonderful to happen any minute now. 

"What _are_ you doing?" asked Aurora, worry making her snappish. 

"Watchin' for Skarmories," Laine answered. 

"Skarmories?" Aurora repeated. 

"Yeah," Laine replied. "Don' you know what a Skarmory is?" 

"Of course I do," answered Aurora, feeling miffed. "I'm a trainer, remember? Skarmory is a combination Flying/Steel-type Pokemon. No evolutions, but very powerful." 

"Yeah, yeah, I know," said Laine. "Ya sound like a schoolbook, ya know that, doncha? Anyway, Skarmories are really rare, and this is one of the only places in the world where you can see 'em." 

"If you're planning on seeing one today, you're going to be disappointed," said Aurora. 

"Huh? What for?" 

"Because in case you haven't noticed, there's a storm brewing," Aurora replied. "Skarmory is weak against rain and lightning. Every one for miles around will be holed up somewhere." 

"Oh," said Laine, looking crestfallen. "Right. Forgot about that." She looked through her binoculars, apparently noticing the menacing clouds for the first time. "Man, you're right, that does look ugly. Think we should look for a place to hide until this blows over?" 

"I thought that a long time ago." Aurora took out her map again. "There should be a cave not far away from here. If it doesn't rain hard enough to flood it, we'll be okay." 

"An' if it floods?" Laine wanted to know. 

Aurora shrugged. "We'll get wet." 

"Lovely," Laine sighed. 

Up the slope they went, moving faster now that the danger was acknowledged. The wind began to blow harder, tossing Aurora's long hair to whip at her face, and lightweight Scar was nearly thrown off his feet, fluttering frantically to stay upright. Thunder rumbled in the distance like the purr of a great animal, and the first drops of rain began falling, coating the land in a thin layer of mud. The temperature dropped, and the wind on their wet clothing made the girls shiver until their teeth chattered. Even so, they made good time, the thought of what it would be like to be caught in the brunt of the storm pushing them forward. 

"Are we there yet?" asked Laine. 

"I don't know," Aurora replied. "The storm's messing up my reception; the Gear can't get a lock on us. Try your binoculars. Maybe you can see... something." 

Laine shrugged and did as she was told, standing on a nearby rock to get a look at the trail ahead. She was silent for a while, and Aurora stared at her, feeling annoyed. 

"What do you see?" she prompted. 

"Rocks," Laine replied. "Mud. Grass. What'd you expect, a circus tent?" 

Aurora sighed. "Great. Well, it was worth a shot." 

"Wait a sec, I'm not done yet," said Laine. "Hm... What the...?" She twiddled with the focus a bit. "Is that lightning, or what?" 

"Huh? Let me look!" said Aurora, making a jump for the binoculars. Laine yelped as she was jerked down by the neck strap. "Oops, sorry!" 

"It's okay, I don' mind nearly having my head taken off," Laine muttered. "After all, I never use it." 

Aurora ignored her. She was squinting through the binoculars, looking at something up in the sky. At first, she thought it was lightning as it flashed against the dark sky, but it was far too steady, and the way it occasionally glimmered orange made it look more like a fireworks display. She twisted a knob on the binoculars, making the image slide in and out of focus until she saw... 

"Wow!" she said. "Look, Laine, it's a Skarmory! That teaches me to keep my mouth shut." 

"I doubt it," Laine replied. "An' I can't look unless you give my glasses back." 

Aurora ignored her. She was still looking at the Skarmory. Even from this distance, she could tell there was something wrong with it; she had seen what a bird looked like when it was hurt, and this one was definitely having problems. That was bad - anything strong enough to hurt a Skarmory was strong enough to hurt a couple of wandering girls. Even as she watched, something bright shot through the air and struck the Skarmory full in the chest. It fluttered wildly, trying to escape the fireball, only to be hit from behind by a spray of water. 

"It's being attacked," said Aurora. "I'm going to try to help it!" 

"You're outta your Apricorn," Laine replied. "You're not helpin' anything in this mess! I say, to each his own! Come on, we've gotta find shelter before things get really bad out here." 

Aurora shook her head. "I'm not leaving that poor thing to suffer. I'm going, with or without you. Coming, Scar?" 

"Spearow!" said the bird eagerly, taking to the air. 

"Lead the way!" Aurora called. She sprinted along below him, stumbling on the wet, rocky ground. 

"They're both crazy," Laine sighed, and began trotting resolutely behind them. 

Scar, unhindered by bad terrain, set a swift pace, and Aurora had to struggle to keep up. At last, panting hard and clutching at a stitch in her side, she clambered up a short rise and came upon the last thing she expected. There was a young man standing on the slope, directing a pair of Pokemon to attack the Skarmory. A Charmeleon was spouting fireballs up into the sky, keeping the great bird from escaping, while a Seadra pelted it with water attacks to weaken it. The trainer had his back to Aurora, but she recognized him even from behind. 

"Ember!" she exclaimed. 

The boy turned and glared at her. The rain had plastered his fiery hair to his head, but his eyes were burning with a wild light. 

"You again! What are you doing here?" he growled. 

"Never mind me! What are _you_ doing to that poor Pokemon?" Aurora replied. 

"I'm capturing it, obviously," said Ember. 

"But that's cheating! The law says Pokemon have to be caught in one-on-one fights! If you do it this way, you're poaching!" 

"So I'm poaching. So what?" Ember replied. "I'm a Rocket, remember? Rockets poach. That's what they do - and this is too fine a prize to lose." 

Thunder rolled, louder now, and the rain began falling harder. The air became a silvery haze as the drops obscured everything more than a few feet away. 

"You're crazy!" shouted Aurora over the tumult. "If you don't care about what happens to that Pokemon, think about your own! What do you think will happen if the rain puts your Charmeleon's tail out, huh? What'll happen if Seadra is struck by lightning? Then what?" 

There was a pause. Then Ember muttered, "Oh, darn it! Charmeleon, Seadra, return!" 

Through the rain, Aurora saw the orange glows of Pokemon returning to their Balls, and a silvery flash above her told her the Skarmory was heading for safer territory. She whistled for Scar; no sense in letting him get struck by lightning, either. Somewhere in the rain, she could hear Laine tramping up the hill, complaining all the way, as well as Ember doing much the same thing. He turned and glared at the girls. 

"Come on," he said, and began trudging off. 

"Come on?" Aurora repeated. "What do you mean by that?" 

"Well, if you really want to stand out here in the rain..." he began. "Besides, I want a word with you." 

"No funny business?" asked Aurora. 

"If you mean, am I going to attack you, the answer is no. Not today, anyway." Ember began to trudge off. "I'm getting out of this rain. Follow or don't follow, but don't make me stay out in this any longer." 

"I'll follow," said Laine. "Bein' inside with you can't be as bad as bein' outside in this." 

Seeing she had Laine's agreement, Aurora began to follow. She had to admit, if only to herself, that she would have followed anyway. She had claimed this boy as her rival, and as such, she felt an odd sort of connection with him. 

After a few moments of hiking, Ember rounded a double bend between a pair of boulders and ended up at the entrance to a dark cavern. They slipped inside one by one and found themselves plunged into utter blackness. In that darkness, there was a flash, as Ember released his Charmander again and its flaming tail lit up the cave. Without speaking, Ember began gathering up scraps of wood, laying a small fireplace on the stone floor, and Charmeleon lit it with a small fireball. 

"That should keep us comfortable for a while," he said, settling down by the fire. 

"Thanks," said Aurora, sitting down across from him. Scar hopped over next to her and began fluffing his feathers so they could dry. Laine, looking uncomfortable, leaned against a wall. 

"Don't thank me," said Ember coldly. "I hate being wet." 

"So do I," said Aurora. She began wringing the water out of her long hair. A few drops fell in the fire, making it sizzle. 

"Bad weather for you to be wandering around, then," Ember replied. "Where are you headed?" 

"None of your beeswax," said Laine. 

"Actually, we were on our way to Blackthorn City," said Aurora. "Same as we were last time. What's it to you?" 

Even in the uncertain light, Aurora was certain she saw Ember's eyes flicker nervously. "You - you're going to Blackthorn City? What for?" 

"Actually, I wanted to talk to Clair," said Aurora coolly. 

It wasn't her imagination; Ember definitely looked nervous now. "Clair? What for? You're nowhere near advanced enough advanced enough to face off with her. Only the most skilled trainers can even think of battling her!" 

"I don't want to fight with her," said Aurora. "I just want to talk to her." 

"Talk to her?" 

"If you must know, I want to ask if I can become one of her junior trainers. Have you got a problem with that?" 

Ember clearly didn't; he gave an unmistakable sigh of relief. 

"None at all," he replied. 

"Oh?" asked Laine. "Then why the heck did you get so scared when she was talking about Clair, huh?" 

"I don't like Clair," said Ember flatly. "Honestly, that woman gives me the chills. I thought if you were friends with her, you'd be someone I needed to worry about... but since she doesn't even know you, I suppose I need not have worried." 

"You should worry," said Aurora. "If I train with her a while, I'll be a match for anyone, including you!" 

"Ah, but you won't," Ember replied. "You might think you will, but you won't. I bet once you meet her, you'll go running back to whatever one-Ponyta town you crept out of." 

"Humph! In your dreams! I'm no coward... unlike _some_ people." 

Ember smiled. "There's no cowardice in fearing the poison of an Arbok, only good sense. If I were you, I'd find somewhere safer to train." 

Aurora narrowed her eyes. "Like where?" 

"My offer still stands," said Ember. 

"You mean, join the Rockets? I'll take my chances with Clair, thanks," Aurora retorted. "And speaking of which, what are _you_ doing here?" 

"Catching Skarmories," was the offhand reply. "Or I was until you interrupted me." 

"I don't believe you." 

"All right, how about this? My uncle had some business up this way, and he brought me along so he could keep an eye on me. You know, he was furious when he found out what you two girls did to foil his plans. Now he's got _bodyguards_ following me around... but I gave them the slip. Most of my uncle's grunts don't have the brains of a Slowpoke, and I like to be on my own." 

"You still aren't telling me everything," Aurora accused. 

"Of course not. I'm a villain," said Ember. "To tell you everything I'm up to would be stupid. The rain's letting up." 

"Huh?" Aurora looked outside. Sure enough, the storm was blowing away as swiftly as it had come in. The rain was only falling in soft spatters, and here and there the sun peeked through the clouds. 

"That's your cue to leave," Ember prompted. "And if I were you, I'd stay clear of Blackthorn until my uncle leaves. If he finds you, _I'm_ certainly not going to intervene on your behalf." 

"I wouldn't expect it," said Aurora frostily. "I'm leaving. See you later, Fire-Top." 

"I hope not. Goodbye, Winter-Hair." 

The girls stepped out of the cave and into the bright outdoors. The last Aurora saw of Ember, before her eyes were dazzled by the change in light, was him bending over his Charmeleon, checking it for damages after its battle with the Skarmory. 

"That was weird," she said. "I wonder why he invited us in like that?" 

"Maybe he likes you," Laine suggested. 

"No way! Why would he like me?" Aurora answered. "We got him into trouble. It's not like I was encouraging him or anything." 

"Well, you are pretty. You have such nice hair," said Laine. "Maybe he thinks you're a challenge. Maybe you're the only girl dumb enough to talk to a Rocket instead of runnin' away screamin'." 

"Come off it," said Aurora. "You know what I think? I think he did it just so he could have the chance to convince me not to go to Blackthorn." 

"Why would he do that?" asked Laine. 

"I don't know. I wish I did. When I mentioned going there, he got really nervous. There's something going on up there he doesn't want me to know about." 

"He knew his uncle would try to hurt ya if he saw ya," Laine suggested. "He doesn' want you hurt." 

"No way!" said Aurora. "He - he probably thinks we're going up there to ruin his plans, just like we did last time, and get him in even more trouble. Then _he'll_ be the one his uncle feeds to a Gyarados." 

"Whatever. I still say he likes ya. Otherwise he wouldn' be so keen on gettin' ya to stay with 'im." 

"You know what, Laine? You're boy-crazy." 

"I am not! You're the one who's picking up all the guys. First that trainer dude, and now Ember." 

"I am not picking up boys!" 

"You call each other by nicknames, Rora." 

"Those are insults!" Aurora snapped. "Don't you know an insult when you hear one?" 

"You're blushing," said Laine, grinning her manic smile. "Rora likes Ember! Rora likes Ember!" 

"Spearow!" said Scar in disgust. He took off and flew away, leaving the girls on the ground to argue their way up the trail. 

~*~

The city looked eerie in the half-light of sunset, with its glossy black roofs and the dozens of gargoyles that lurked on every corner. This was the sacred city of the dragons, and the statues graced not only the Gym, but nearly every roof and doorpost in the city. In the distance, the Gym itself loomed up like a small castle, and the lake in the background flashed like fire in the sun's red light. Aurora stood and stared at it in awe. At last, the city she had dreamed about since she was a little child... 

"This place gives me the willies," said Laine. "Maybe we oughta hold off 'till morning, huh?" 

"Are you kidding?" Aurora asked. "I've been waiting _years_ for this!" 

"Then you can wait a little longer," Laine retorted. "This is not a place I wanna be creeping around in after dark." 

"We aren't going to creep," said Aurora. "We're just going to the Gym." 

The truth was, though, she did feel something of what Laine was talking about. There was a feel of ancientness and power here, something that made her skin tingle and her stomach flutter with something that was more than nerves. It felt like something was watching her, waiting... 

*_Oh, you're really brave,_* she scolded herself. *_Think how much you went through to get here. You are not backing out now!_* 

With all the resolution she could muster, she put one foot forward, then another. Scar trotted along beside her, ruffling his feathers as if he thought she was being silly but wasn't about to stick his beak out to tell her so. Laine sighed. 

"You're harder to persuade then my Slowpoke," she complained, and fell into step with Aurora. 

The Gym was even more imposing close up, all black stone and crouching gargoyles baring fangs and claws. The front doors were twice the height of a man, lacquered black with gold trim, yet when Aurora pushed them, they swung forward easily and silently. Trembling a little, she stepped inside. 

She was hit by a blast of heat. Inside the building was a platform that was strung over a pit of bubbling lava, filling the room with a fiery glow. At the far end of a long walkway stood a throne, flanked by two huge stone Dragonites. However, those were nothing compared to the woman who reclined on the throne. She was dressed all in tight-fitting black clothing, with a long, batlike cloak, and she regarded the trespassers in her domain with a look that would have sent a Rhydon fleeing in terror. Aurora walked slowly toward her, her footsteps ringing on the metal floor, until she was only a few feet away from the dark woman. She had to fight the urge to kneel. 

"Are - are you Clair, the Dragon Master?" she asked. Her voice squeaked in nervousness. 

"I am," said the dark woman. "Who asks?" 

"I do. My - my name is Aurora. I've come to - come to ask if-" 

"Are you here to battle me?" asked Clair. "If that's the case, you should turn around right now. I can tell just by looking at you, you haven't got what it takes." 

"No! That's not it at all!" said Aurora. "I wanted to train under you, as one of your junior trainers. I think you're the greatest Pokemon trainer there ever was. There's nothing I want more than to learn from you." 

"I am the greatest trainer there ever was," said Clair frostily. "I don't need you to tell me that. And what makes you think I'd let you train under me? I only take students with potential. What kind of Pokemon have you got? How many Badges have you won?" 

"I - I don't have any Badges," Aurora admitted, "and the only Pokemon I have is Scar..." 

"That? You bring me that molting mess of a Pokemon and ask me to help you train it?" asked Clair, glaring at Scar. "I've never been so insulted. Listen - if you want me to train you, you'd better prove to me that you're worth my while. Come back when you've collected the other seven Badges of Johto and captured some decent Pokemon. If you can convince me of your worth, _then_ maybe I'll consider training you. Until then, you're nothing. Understand?" 

Aurora's head spun. She wanted to scream that this woman was wrong, that she had potential right now, that Scar _was_ a decent Pokemon, but this was Clair she was talking to! The words stuck in her throat. 

"Yes, ma'am," she said meekly. "Come on, Scar." She turned and shuffled out of the Gym. Clair watched them go. 

"They won't make it past the first Gym," she said. "That's one trainer I'll never see again." 

Laine was waiting outside. When the doors opened again, she looked eagerly at Aurora. 

"How did it go?" she asked. 

"Not good," Aurora replied. "Clair says she won't teach me unless I've got seven Badges, and she thinks Scar's not good enough for her to bother training. I don't know, Laine... How am I ever going to win all those Badges? She might as well ask me to bring her an Arcticuno! Maybe my dad was right," she finished miserably. "Maybe I am wasting my time." 

"Now, don't be like that," said a voice somewhere above her head. "I, for one, think you have a good chance." 

Aurora looked up at the roof. Now that she was looking, she could see that one of the gargoyles was not a gargoyle at all. It wasn't even a dragon. It was a Pidgeotto, and standing next to the Pidgeotto was the man from Violet City. 

"It's you again!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" 

"I came to check up on you," he replied. "Worried, you know. Bad things have been happening in this city. Rockets have been seen sneaking around the Dragon Temple - one of Clair's junior trainers was arrested for letting one get past her guard. I was afraid you might have run into trouble." 

"Well, I did run into one Rocket, but he wasn't very much trouble," said Aurora. "Do you really think I have what it takes to win all those Badges? It's going to be hard." 

"Not that hard," the man replied. "As a matter of fact..." He reached into a fold of his sash and took out something, throwing it down to Aurora. It flashed brightly as it tumbled through the sunset-colored light. Aurora caught it and stared; it looked like a bit of metal fashioned into a pair of wings. 

"This - this is the Zephyr Badge!" she gasped. "But - but you can't give me this - you're not a Gym Leader!" 

"Who says?" the man replied. "Certainly not me! My name is Falkner, and I run the Gym in Violet City. I'm master of Flying-type Pokemon, and I say you are, too. I hereby bestow upon thee the Zephyr Badge and all its attendant privileges. After all, you beat me fair and square." 

Laine was goggling. "_This_ is the guy you fought? You beat a Gym Leader and you didn't _tell_ me?" 

"I didn't know! He wouldn't tell me his name!" Aurora replied. She stopped and glared at him. "Why didn't you tell me your name?" 

Falkner blushed. "Embarrassed, I guess. It _has_ been a long time since I've been beaten, especially by such a new trainer. I figured if you didn't know, I would just let you go on thinking you'd just beaten another run-of-the-mill wanderer. After all, it wouldn't do you any good to get too cocky." 

"Wow," said Aurora. "Maybe... maybe I _can_ win, then!" 

"I know you can," Falkner answered. "I'll be keeping an eye on you. Good luck, Aurora!" 

"Thanks, Falkner!" Aurora called back. "Hey! Now that I know your name, can I have your phone number?" 

"What? You're kidding. Gym Leaders never give out their phone numbers," said Falkner. "I _will_ write, though. Goodbye!" 

"Bye!" Aurora and Laine waved as Falkner's Pidgeotto gripped his shoulder and carried him off into the sky. 

"That was weird," said Laine. "I still can't believe you were so dumb you didn' know a Gym Leader when you fought one!" 

"I wouldn't have believed it anyway," said Aurora. She pinned the badge to her shirt. "One down, six to go!" 

"Fun," said Laine. "We'll have go walk all over Johto now! Man, I wish your Spearow could use the Fly HM. Then we wouldn' have to walk. So, where first?" 

Aurora checked her map. "Well, traditionally, the next badge is the Hive Badge. That's in your town, Laine." 

"You mean, Azalea Town?" Laine repeated. "Oh, heck. We're goin' right back where we started!" 

"Looks that way, doesn't it?" said Aurora, sighing a bit herself. "Oh, well. At least we won't be likely to get lost." 

"Big whoop," Laine replied. "Oh, well. Let's get started." 

She plodded glumly back to the street, but Aurora lingered, staring at the Gym's dark, forbidding doors. 

"I'll prove you wrong," she said softly. "I don't care what it takes. I'm going to prove you wrong." 

~*~

That night, Clair dreamed as she slept. In her dream, she stood in the Gym, watching the hot lava as it continuously bubbled. By its light, the dragon statues next to her looked almost alive, as their dark eyes glittered with the shifting fire. Suddenly, a bitter wind blew though the Gym, covering the floor and walls with frost, freezing the lava into cold black stone. Around and around the wind whirled, stirring up clouds of snow, and Clair cringed. Ice was the natural enemy of dragons, and if it could overpower the fires she'd brought in to hamper its power... 

Even as she watched, the snow thickened, becoming a solid shape. The shape was human, a snow-girl with hair and eyes of ice. She raised her hand, calling forth the icy gusts of wind again, forming them into a second glittering shape, a blue bird with a flowing crystalline tail: Articuno, the legendary bird of ice. It attacked, fanning its wings to stir up a blizzard. Clair felt the snow piling higher around her, freezing her with a cold that was painful. 

"Stop it! Do something!" she screamed. 

The statues at her side moved, coming to life, moving in to defend her. They snarled, breathing forth bursts of flame. 

"Aurora Beam!" commanded the ice girl. 

Articuno bobbed its head in agreement. From its eyes shot a beam of cold energy that struck each statue in turn, freezing them solid. As Clair stared in horror, they dissolved into snow and fell into heaps at her feet. 

"All right, all right!" shouted Clair, her voice hysterical. "You've won! You can have the Badge!" 

"I don't want the Badge," the girl replied. "I want you. I want to destroy you." 

"No, no, please," Clair begged. "You can't do this to me!" 

"Freeze her," the girl commanded. 

Articuno's wings stirred again, fanning up an arctic breeze, and Clair could only stand in utter terror as she froze solid, her fingers and hands slowly coming apart into snow and she blew away bit by bit... 

"No!" she screamed, and sat up in bed, sweating in fear. She took several deep breaths, trying to calm down. What a nightmare... but it was only a dream, wasn't it? That girl that had appeared today, she'd had that long, crystalline hair, like ice. And her name was Aurora, like the Aurora Beam, a powerful Ice attack. Could this dream be a warning? 

"Did I make a mistake?" Clair asked herself. "Should I have taken her on, after all? But she seemed so weak... I sent her to become stronger. Is this a warning that she will return... and destroy me? No, it can't be. I won't let it." 

She rose, throwing on her cloak and walking for the door. She needed to go to the Dragon Temple. There she would get help. She would make sure that this girl was no threat to her, no matter what it took. 


	3. Stage Three - Bellsprout Rebellion

**Stage Three: Bellsprout Rebellion**

**By: SilvorMoon**

Sunlight glinted off the orange-gold hide of a Dragonite as it soared through the air, moving with a grace that was surprising considering its bulk versus the size of its wings. A few trainers, walking across the land in their eternal quests for adventure, looked up in surprise. Dragonites were rare in the wild, almost never seen except under the care of a trainer who had nurtured it up from a Dratini. Now the trainers looked up in awe as it passed over their heads. A few brave ones even called out their prized Pokemon to try to capture it, but it flew on unharmed, easily dodging every attack, batting away thrown PokeBalls with a swish of its strong tail. Then it would be gone, soaring over the horizon in a straight and seemingly endless flight. Most trainers just sighed wistfully as it passed them by, dreaming of the day when they, too, might own something so spectacular. Some heeded it as an omen of good luck. Only one looked up at it and frowned. 

"What is she doing?" he muttered. "That's no help - she's not supposed to be so _obvious._ Nobody for miles around is going to miss that thing." 

He sighed deeply, shaking his head and moving on. If she got in trouble, on her head be it. He had better things to think about than worry about one crazy trainer... 

Meanwhile, the Dragonite continued to travel. It flew over the main roads, looking down, watching the people that passed below it. It was searching, trying to pick out one in particular. Miles rolled past, and it was beginning to think it might have to return home and report failure, but then a sparkle caught its eyes. Blinking, it circled lower, trying to get a better look. Yes, there was a human down there. She was just walking down the road, in broad daylight, not even looking up at the dragon that hovered above her. In fact, she seemed to be so deeply involved with an argument with her traveling companion that she wouldn't have noticed if a whole flock of dragons had been hanging over her head. She certainly didn't look like anything special, but this was clearly the girl Dragonite had been sent to look for, the girl whose hair glittered like ice. It took off again, rising up into the sky until it became nothing more than a speck, nearly lost against the sky, and the girl's bright hair was only a moving white dot on the ground. Funny to think that the mistress considered this tiny girl an enemy, but she did, and so Dragonite circled above her, watching to see what she would do... 

Unaware that she was being watched, Aurora continued her debate with Laine. 

"It just wouldn't be right," she was saying. "I _have_ to go for the Hive Badge next. That's just the way its done. For all I know, Whitney might even refuse to fight me if I didn't have the right Badges. She's kind of temperamental sometimes." 

"You were the one who wanted to jump all the way up to Dragon Master without winnin' any Badges," Laine replied stubbornly. "What's with the law-abidin' streak all of a sudden?" 

"Don't you understand? I have to do this right," Aurora answered. "You didn't hear the way Clair talked to me. She'll never respect me if I don't do this absolutely flawlessly. If I start trying to do things in the wrong order now, she'll say I'm cheating and won't have anything else to do with me." 

"Whoopee for her," Laine muttered. "Dunno what's so great about her anyway. Dragons or no dragons, the lady's still meaner than an Arbok with a toothache." 

"She is not! She's just got high standards," said Aurora. "She only trains the best Pokemon, so it makes sense she'd only use the best trainers, too. I'm just going to have to show her I _am_ the best... and to do that, I'm going to need the Hive Badge, so we might as well go ahead and get it." 

"If you say so," said Laine glumly. Then she looked up. "Well, lucky us. It's Violet City already. Guess it's easier to go down the mountain than up the mountain." 

"It is when you aren't held up by storms and Skarmories and things," said Aurora. "Hey, I know, let's stop in Violet for a while." 

"What? Li'l Miss Get-up-and-go wants to _stop_?" Laine repeated. "What's gotten into you?" 

"Well, it would be nice to have a break for a while," answered Aurora. "I'm not used to all this walking. My feet are starting to ache. And I am getting a little tired of traveling food, too." 

"Spear!" said Scar, pecking her hand. 

"Ouch!" she protested. "What's your problem?" 

"Spear, spear, spearow," said Scar. He pecked at the hem of her shirt, where she had pinned her Zephyr Badge. 

"Oh, all right, fine, have it your way," Aurora sighed. "I was thinking it would be nice to see Falkner again." 

Laine's grumpy expression evaporated, being replaced by her usual insolent grin. 

"Yeah, I forgot about your crush on Falkner!" she crowed. "Can't blame you there - he is a cutie." 

"Shut up!" said Aurora, trying not to laugh. She was getting used to Laine's company by now, and she could accept the girl's remarks as well as she accepted the fact that Scar would sometimes wander off on his own. Both were a sign that her friends trusted her not to be upset. "You know I don't have a crush on him. I just like him." 

"What's the difference?" 

"Well, you like me, don't you?" 

"Sometimes," Laine replied. "Don' let it go to your head, though." 

"It'll be hard, but I'll try," answered Aurora. "So, what do you say? Want to stop in Violet for a while? We didn't even get to go in last time." 

"I did. _You_ wanted to stay on the path," Laine replied. "But sure, let's go into the big city for a bit. Anything that keeps me out of Azalea... Man! Why did I have to be born in a town with a Gym in it?" 

"You don't want to go home?" asked Aurora. 

"Are you anxious to go to Goldenrod again?" 

"Well... no, not really..." 

"Right," Laine replied. "As far as I'm concerned, the longer we stay in Violet, the better." 

Within a few minutes, they had reached the outskirts of the town. Aurora liked it on sight; it was neat and clean, with lots of grassy lawns and window boxes full of flowers. The people waved to each other as they passed on the street, gossiping happily, and the air was full of a sense of encouragement and excitement, as welcoming as Blackthorn had been forbidding. After all, this was a place meant for beginning trainers, which meant that everyone here had grown up with the expectation of bright young newcomers entering its gates, all of them full of ambition and hopes that they would be the next Champion. Aurora could see evidence of this, in the form of children her own age sparring playfully on the sidewalks, Rattatas mixing it up with Pidgeys and Caterpies while passers-by paused to cheer them on. Shop windows displayed souvenirs, and she stopped to admire a fuzzy stuffed Pidgeot with shiny shoe-button eyes, but passed him by with a sigh. She needed her money for more vital things, most immediately, lunch. 

Following Laine's guide, she found herself walking into a cheerful little diner. The room was crowded, with the lunchtime rush crammed around little round tables, but they found a place to sit in a far corner and set down their gear to stake a claim, trusting Scar to protect it from anyone who might get too nosy. Then they pushed up to the front to get a look at the menu that was chalked on a blackboard. While she was waiting for someone behind the counter to notice her, Aurora let her eyes wander around the room, looking at all the colorful customers and the occasional Pokemon. Then her gaze fell on a young man sitting at the far end of the bar, poking idly at a strawberry sundae. He was dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a denim jacket, and a baseball cap was jammed over his head, but she could still see wisps of red hair showing through, and there was no mistaking his face. 

"Psst!" Aurora hissed to Laine. "Look over there!" 

"Hm?" Laine turned around to see where her friend was pointing. "Whoa, that's Ember!" 

"Shh, he'll hear you!" Aurora cautioned, but it was too late. Ember turned his head and looked at both of them, his distant expression turning angry as he realized who he was seeing. 

"You two again!" he barked. "Must you follow me everywhere I go?" 

"No," said Laine. "You just keep turnin' up everywhere we wanna be. What are you doin' here? Plannin' on wirin' Sprout Tower with a radio transmitter or somethin'?" 

"Keep it down!" he snapped. "For your information, the reason I'm here has nothing to do with... what you're thinking of. I _do_ have outside interests." 

"What kind of interests take you to Violet City?" Laine persisted. "Bird watching?" 

"You'd be surprised," was the mild reply. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment. So long, girls. Try to stay out of my business." 

With that, he abandoned his ice cream and stalked out of the restaurant. 

"Weird guy," Laine commented, as she collected their food. "Wonder what he's really doing here?" 

"Even you can't say he's looking for me this time," Aurora replied. "He's probably lying, anyway. Most likely he _is_ here looking for trouble." 

"Yeah, most likey," Laine agreed. "Trouble and double, ain't that what they say? Let's forget about 'im for now. He obviously doesn' want our company." 

Aurora nodded and went about the more important business of eating, at least to all appearances. Inside, she was still turning over the meeting with Ember in her mind, wondering just what had moved him to come to Violet City incognito, wandering around in broad daylight in public places. What little experience she had with Rockets had told her they were a fiercely proud gang who never donned street clothing unless they had a specific reason for it, and they seldom let themselves be seen in public unless they were sure of not being caught. This boy must have been an important person, if the others had listened to him back in the cave. What was he risking his safety for here? 

"Hi!" said a voice at her elbow, startling her out of her reverie. "Hey, nice Spearow! Are you here to fight with Falkner, too?" 

Aurora looked down and saw a small boy, perhaps five years old, accompanied by a Sentret on a leash. As she turned around to look at the boy, he noticed the glinting pin on the hem of her shirt. 

"Hey, you've got the Badge already! That's cool!" he enthused. 

"Scar won it for me the other day," Aurora answered, stroking her Pokemon's feathers. 

"Awesome," the boy replied. "Hey, if you've already got your Badge, how come you're here? Did you come to see the fight?" 

"What fight?" asked Laine, trying to get into the conversation. 

"The fight," the boy repeated. "There's going to be a Gym battle today. We all go to see the battles. It's fun. Falkner's won the last twelve fights in a row. He's the greatest! You oughta go see him!" 

"Sounds like fun to me," said Laine. "We were gonna go see him anyway, so we might as well see him dong what he does best. Am I right, or what?" 

Sounds like fun to me," Aurora replied. "Thanks for the tip." 

"Welcome!" the boy replied. 

After finishing up their lunches (they shared their fries with Scar), the girls left the diner and headed for the Gym. It wasn't hard to find - it looked like everyone in town was on their way there, so Laine and Aurora just let themselves be swept up in the crowd. Inside the Gym's main gates, an attendant was guiding people inside the building, making sure they were filling in all the bleachers. Others were walking around handing out fliers with the names and stats of Falkner's Pokemon. Aurora and Laine both took one as souvenirs, and then they found themselves seats. At this point, the best spots had already been taken, but they did reasonably well for themselves, several rows up from the center line of the field. 

"This should be interesting," said Laine. "I didn' get to see you fight Falkner last time. How's he fight? Is he good?" 

"I think he's good," Aurora replied. "He nearly had me there, for a minute. Dragons or no dragons, I envy him his Pidgeotto." 

After the bleachers were filled to capacity, the front doors of the Gym slammed shut, and the house lights dimmed, leaving the room plunged briefly into intense darkness. Then a spotlight appeared, beaming down on one end of the playing field. 

"Ladies, gentlemen, and Pokemon!" boomed a voice above their heads. "Welcome to the Violet City Pokemon Gym! And now, it is my pleasure to introduce to you our reigning champion and city Gym Leader. . . Falkner!" 

There were cheers from the crowd as Falkner stepped into the light. Aurora and Laine gave him a standing ovation, as did many others. Aurora was sure he turned and waved at her. 

"And now, the challenger," the announcer continued. "Hailing all the way from Viridian City, I give you. . . Ember!" 

In the applause from the crowd, Aurora and Laine's gasps of dismay were completely lost, though Scar did cause a commotion by fluttering up into the air and screeching, and Aurora had to pull him down by his leg. Down on the playing field, Ember didn't seem to notice anything. He looked extremely nervous, somehow shrunken beneath the bright lights in his heavy jean jacket. He held a Pokeball, tossing it restlessly from hand to hand. 

"Players on your marks," said the announcer. 

Ember and Falkner stepped up to their starting points and bowed politely to each other. 

"At the count of three," the announcer said. "One - two - three - begin!" 

The combatants sent out their Pokemon, their calls drowned out by thunderous cheers. The announcer was giving commentary. 

"And our young challenger brings out a Seadra - when was the last time I've seen one of them? It's well trained, though. Just look at that aim! Oh, but it takes a hard hit from Falkner's Pidgey - Better luck next time, kid!" 

"Go, Falkner!" Laine was shouting. "Put that kid in his place!" 

Aurora was quiet. Falkner's Pidgey was putting up a good fight, but she had the feeling it wasn't going to last for very long against an evolved Pokemon. Sure enough, the Seadra hit Pidgey with a Supersonic attack, leaving it dazed, wide open for an attack from the sea Pokemon's sharp fins. The bird gave a shriek, tried to escape, and nearly crashed into the bleachers as it flew out of control. Instead, it bounced off the wall and dropped in a faint, vanishing into a burst of red light as Falkner recalled it. The crowd moaned. 

"That was a dirty trick!" hissed Laine to Aurora. 

"No, it wasn't," answered Aurora. "Confusion is a standard attack. Anybody can use it if they have a capable Pokemon." 

"I still don' like it," Laine grumped. 

"Quiet. You're just saying that because you just don't want him to win." 

"What? And you do?" 

Aurora didn't answer, but turned instead back to the competition. Ember had recalled his Seadra and sent out the Charmeleon. Pidgeotto was a slightly better match for it than Pidgey had been for Seadra, but it was still clear who the winner was going to be. After the bird Pokemon had scored a few early hits, Charmeleon had kept it too busy dodging fireballs to do any retaliation. Its wings were already looking a bit charred, and it seemed to be getting tired. Desperate, it made a wild dive, beating its wings fiercely at its enemy. The Charmeleon darted out of the way, raking Pidgeotto with its claws as it flew by. The bird gave a shriek as it lumbered into the air again with several feathers missing. 

"Take him out!" Ember ordered. "Flamethrower!" 

The Charmeleon gave a roar and spat out a twelve-foot lance of flame, briefly engulfing the bird. It shrieked and fell, vanishing back into its PokeBall. The crowd roared. 

"Game over!" boomed the announcer. "Victory goes to the challenger! Ember wins!" 

There was a chaotic noise, comprised in equal measures of cheering, clapping, and booing as Ember and Falkner went to meet each other in the center of the arena and bowed to each other again. As Falkner handed over the Badge and his forfeit, Laine muttered to herself. 

"It ain't right," she said fiercely. "It just ain't right! That boy's no trainer! He's a Rocket! He doesn't deserve any Badges; it's just encouraging him! The last thing that guy needs is to have his ego stoked any more." 

While she sat there complaining, the rest of the crowd filtered out of the stadium, chattering animatedly, bemoaning the loss for their local Gym Leader or acting out enthusiastic play-by-plays. Soon, the only people who were left were Aurora, Laine, and Falkner himself, who was busy giving Potions to his tired Pokemon. 

"Hello, you two!" he called. "Back again? I'd have thought you'd move straight on to Azalea Town." 

"We decided to make a stopover," said Aurora, getting up to climb down the bleachers. "Then we heard you were having a battle, so we came to watch. Sorry you lost." 

"That's all right," he said, tipping the last few drops of Potion down Pidgeotto's throat. "I knew I was going to lose to begin with." 

"You _knew_?" Laine repeated. "But - but-" 

"His Pokemon are too advanced for mine," he answered. "Honestly, he should have been and gone here ages ago. He's ready to take on Whitney, at least. He could possibly even handle Morty." 

"Are you serious?" asked Laine. "Don' you know what that kid _is_?" 

"He's a fine trainer. That's all I know," he replied. 

"Well, I've got news for you!" Laine replied. "Ember's with Team Rocket?" 

Falkner blinked. "Not possible." 

"She's telling the truth," said Aurora quietly. "We've seen him in action. He was trying to pull something in Union Cave. He was in full uniform, and all the other Rockets were obeying him." 

If the girls expected Falkner to be surprised, they were mistaken. 

"What a pity," he sighed. "He has potential." 

"Potential to cause trouble," Laine muttered. "With that Badge, he'll be able to cause even more!" 

"Not that much," said Aurora. "The Zephyr Badge doesn't do much more than activate the Flash HM, and that's really not much of a move." 

"Why are you defending him?" asked Laine, turning to Aurora, who backed away reflexively. 

"I'm not defending him!" she squeaked indignantly. "I'm - I'm defending Falkner! He didn't have any choice. Ember beat him, so he had to give him a Badge, whether he deserved it or not!" 

Falkner watched the exchange. "You two look like a couple of Machops, do you know that? Aurora, is this a friend or an enemy?" 

"She's my friend," said Aurora. "We just have... differing opinions on things. Anyway, this is Laine. She's Kurt's granddaughter, from Azalea Town." 

"Ah, yes! I see, now. I've never met Kurt myself, but I met your father a few times. He was a brilliant man. You look a great deal like him." 

At this, Laine blushed a bright pink and turned her head. Aurora was surprised. She normally didn't think of Laine being shy or embarrassed. Falkner seemed to realize he'd touched a nerve somewhere, because he quickly changed the subject. 

"Anyway," he said, "am I to gather that you don't think young Ember deserved the Badge I gave him?" 

"Well, of course he doesn't!" said Laine, apparently glad to be back on solid ground again. "What's he gonna do with it, except use it to hurt someone else's Pokemon?" 

Falkner sighed. "That's all any trainer can do with it, unfortunately. It's one of the drawbacks of the game. But if you mean, do I think he's going to misuse it... no, I don't. One of the reasons they made me a Gym Leader is for my ability to judge a trainer's abilities, and in my estimation, the boy is extremely skilled." 

"That wasn' skill," Laine muttered. "That was brute force and you know it. You lost because his Pokemon were more evolved than yours, that's all." 

"And how do you suppose they got that way?" asked Falkner. "Pokemon don't evolve for no reason." 

"True," said Aurora. "I hadn't thought of that. That's funny, I'd heard Charmeleons are difficult to raise. It takes a very skilled trainer to handle one." 

Falkner nodded. "I can't make any moral judgements about him, but I can say he's definitely not the kind to mistreat his Pokemon. They would never obey him the way they do otherwise." 

Laine didn't look like she liked this explanation, but she never got a chance to argue any further. Just as she was opening her mouth to make a comeback, a noise issued from outside the Gym. It sounded like someone shouting at the top of his lungs. Everyone exchanged puzzled looks, and then Falkner turned and sprinted for the door with the girls trailing close behind. Outside, they caught sight of a man running up the street, legs pumping frantically. 

"Bellsprout!" he shouted. "Bellsprout! Run for your lives! Bellsprout!" 

"Bellsprout?" Aurora repeated. "What's he talking about?" 

"I think he's cracked," Laine opined. 

The man caught sight of them and skidded to a halt, panting. 

"Run for it!" he gasped. "They're coming! The Bellsprouts are coming!" He turned and looked behind him, as if he thought he might be pursued, and then sprinted away again, still screaming about Bellsprouts. 

"Wonder what's gotten into him?" said Falkner, eyebrows knitted in worry. 

"No idea," Laine replied. "I know about Bellsprouts. They're just overgrown daffodils, nothing special." 

"Wait a minute," said Aurora, waving for both of them to be quiet. "Do you hear something?" 

They were quiet, and in the silence, they did hear something. at first, it sounded like a low rumble, but as it grew closer, they were able to discern words in the rumble. It sounded like, "_Bell...sprout... bell... sprout... bellsprout... bellsprout... bellsproutbellsprout... bellsproutbellsproutbellsprout... bellbellsproutbellsproutsprout..._" 

"Get down!" Falkner shouted, shoving the girls back into the Gym. A second later, a raging wave of Bellsprouts came charging down the street, throwing up huge clouds of dust. Everything in their way, ranging from flower beds to unattended bicycles, was torn apart as they passed, and for a moment, the world looked like nothing but a mass of waving leaves, roots, blooms, and flying dust. Then they passed, leaving the cobblestone walkway reduced to gravel by the power of their thrashing roots. 

"Whew!" said Aurora, wide-eyed. "That could have been us!" 

Laine was staring off in the direction the Bellsprouts had gone, shouting, "Hey, I really didn't mean that thing about the daffodils! Really!" 

"I wonder what brought _that_ on?" Falkner mused. "The Violet City Bellsprouts have lived in harmony with humans for centuries. I've never heard of a Bellsprout rebellion before." 

"Do you think this is Team Rocket's doing?" asked Laine - almost hopefully, Aurora thought. 

"I know one way to find out," Aurora replied. 

"What?" Laine asked. "Are you plannin' to go ask your boyfriend?" 

"No," she replied. "There's only one spot around here that has so many Bellsprouts in one place, and that's Sprout Tower. If we want to get to the root of this problem, that's where we've got to go." 

"Root?" Laine repeated. "Rora, this is no time to be making jokes." 

"She's right, though," said Falkner. "The Sages at the Tower will know what's going on. Here." 

He took three PokeBalls from his belt and opened them, revealing two Pidgeys and a Pidgeotto. 

"These will Fly us there in no time," he explained. "Don't look so offended, Scar. You know you can't do that without a Fly HM. Be patient, old bird." 

Scar gave in, only muttering under his breath as the two Pidgeys gripped his friends by the shoulders and lifted them up into the air, following the lead of Falkner and his Pidgeotto. They didn't really need the guide; they could have found their way just by following the path of destruction the Bellsprouts had wrought in their wild flight towards... just where _were_ they running, anyway? Half-turning in the Pidgey's grip, Aurora tried to see behind her, but all she could make out was the broken path leading off into the woods. All she could tell was that they seemed to be in a hurry to get out of Violet City. There was still a cloud rising into the air in the direction they'd gone, comprised of dust and startled Flying-types trying to get away from the commotion. Aurora felt a stab of worry, wondering how much damage the Bellsprouts were going to do before they finally settled down. 

"Hey, Rora!" Laine called. "Check the weather vane!" 

"What?" asked Aurora, wondering for a minute whether there was something she didn't know about Bellsprouts and the direction of the wind. Then she realized Laine wasn't talking about a _real_ weather vane. She was pointing at the top of Sprout Tower, where a large metal bird had perched, nearly covering the roof with its flashing wings. It was surrounded by a small cloud of moving shapes, Hoothoots most likely. Every once in a while, one would get too close and let out a screech as the steel bird slashed them with its beak or sharp-feathered wings. 

"Take us down slow and easy," said Falkner to his Pidgeotto. "We don't want to make that Skarmory angry... angrier than it already is." 

The bird nodded and began a graceful glide to the ground, keeping them safely out of the Skarmory's range. They landed at the edge of a small crowd of people, many of them curious onlookers, but mostly men in monkish brown robes who were staring worriedly at the Skarmory or tending to wounded Hoothoots. Aurora thought she saw a boy in a jean jacket in the periphery of things, but he caught sight of her and scooted away before she could be sure it was him at all. Falkner began pushing his way through the onlookers, clearing a path for Laine and Aurora. 

"Gym Leader, coming through!" he called. "What's going on? Where's the Master?" 

A few of the Sages looked up in recognition, and one of them came and bowed to Falkner. 

"I am Master of Sprout Tower," he said. "We are thankful you have come, Leader Falkner." 

"Thank me later," said Falkner. "Right now, I want to know what's happening here? Why is there a Skarmory in Violet City? Where have the Bellsprouts gone?" 

"The Skarmory came down out of the mountains not long ago," answered the Master. "It is very angry, but we are having trouble understanding what it wants, and it refuses to let our Pokemon close enough to it to talk to it or battle it. It is insisting that humans have harmed it, and it wants humans to pay for what has been done to it." 

"I see," said Falkner. He looked up at the Tower, which was swaying as if in a high gale. "It won't come down, and it won't let anything come up. What about the Bellsprouts? What was the matter with them?" 

"As the honorable Gym Leader knows, Flying-types are the natural enemies of Plant- types," the Master replied. "As soon as they sensed that such a powerful Bird Pokemon was close to them, they fled in panic. We fear they will not return to us until we are rid of the Skarmory. The Bellsprouts are the life of our temple. Please, Gym Leader Falkner, you must rid us of this menace!" 

"I'll try," said Falkner, "but I'm not sure what I can do. Even I've never captured a Skarmory. I'm not quite sure how to deal with it." 

Laine was looking upwards, squinting at the light bouncing off the Skarmory's feathers. She reached for her bag and dug out her binoculars. 

"Hey, Rora," she said. "I could be wrong, but I think this here bird has the look of someone we know. Take a look." 

Puzzled, Aurora looked through the binoculars, twiddling with the focus. Now she could see the bird clearly, feathers flashing so brightly it almost hurt to look at them... but not everywhere. 

"He's _rusted_," she exclaimed. "Like... like he was caught in the rain." 

"What's she talking about?" asked Falkner, looking at Laine. 

"While we were climbin' the trail to Blackthorn, we got caught in the rain," Laine replied. "We saw our good ol' buddy Ember trying to catch a Skarmory while it was weak, usin' both his Pokemon to gang up on it." 

"So that's what this is all about!" said Falkner. "He must have followed Ember here, and now he's looking for some payback for what's been done to him... not that the knowledge helps us much. I doubt there's much we can do without Ember around, and he's probably long gone by now. I guess we'll just have to-" 

"Aha!" Aurora shouted, making a dive into the crowd. Ember, who had been gradually creeping closer, trying to eavesdrop on the conversation, now tried to disappear back into the shadows, but Aurora was too quick for him. She latched onto the back of his jacket and hung on with a vice grip. 

"Get off of me!" he growled, trying to pry her off. It was no use; she was behind him, and he couldn't reach far enough to get a grip. 

"Nothing doing," Aurora replied. "I told you messing with that Skarmory was going to get you in trouble, and you didn't believe me." 

"Right now, the only thing giving me trouble is you," Ember snapped. "That Skarmory's none of my business. As far as I'm concerned, those Bellsprouts can stay away forever. It's no skin off my back... though I have a feeling I might lose some anyway, the way you're clinging to me." 

Aurora loosened her grip a bit, and Ember wrenched free. He turned around with anger burning in his eyes. 

"Don't mess with me," he said. "You think just because I did you a favor once, you can walk all over me, is that right? Well, forget it. I'm still what I am, and I'm perfectly capable of hurting you - yes, even with people watching! You think they can hurt me? Guess what would happen if they tried. Just guess." 

"Oh, aren't you a tough guy," Aurora retorted. "You're not scared to pick fights with a little girl, but when it comes to a real challenge, you start running away as fast as the Bellsprouts. Gee, you really _are_ scary." 

Ember scowled. "I'm not running. It's just none of my business what happens to this town, and you know it." 

"In that case, I'll talk to the Skarmory myself," Aurora replied. She turned and began walking away, only to be intercepted in three directions at once, as Ember, Falkner, and Laine all stepped in front of her. 

"What in the name of the Forest Guardian do you think you're doin'?" Laine demanded incredulously. 

Aurora shrugged. "I thought it should be obvious. I'm going to go talk to the Skarmory." 

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" asked Falkner. "This is a wild Pokemon we're talking about, and a very powerful one, at that. Powerful and angry - it could kill you easily if it took a notion to." 

"Well, what do you want me to do, then?" asked Aurora. "Just sit here and do nothing?" 

"I want you to think instead of jumping into things," Falkner replied. "Now maybe, just _maybe_ you could talk some sense into it, but I doubt it. Skarmories are proud creatures. They don't have a lot of respect for anything. Furthermore, have you thought about how you're actually going to get close enough to say anything to it?" 

"Well, if I can't Fly up, I guess I'll just have to climb," answered Aurora. 

"Sure," said Laine. "And I think I'll evolve into a Dragonite and fly to the moon." 

Aurora paused, considering. Now that she looked at it, the Sprout Tower was more than a bit daunting. It was still swaying back and forth as if blown by a powerful wind, yet the breeze was nothing more than a few breaths of air, barely enough to toss her hair, much less a solidly built tower. She remembered the legends that the Sprout Tower had been built around the stem of a Bellsprout a hundred feet tall, and she wondered what the Tower must think of having a large, angry bird on its head. A sudden vision crossed her mind of the whole tower getting up and running away, crashing through the town and knocking over trees. She felt herself pale a bit, but she gritted her teeth. The danger wouldn't lessen if she stayed by and did nothing. She was jerked out of her reverie by the sight of someone shoving something in front of her. 

"Here," said Ember, pressing something into her hands. 

"Escape Rope!" she exclaimed. "Just what the doctor ordered!" 

Ember shrugged. "Don't thank me or anything. If you want to hang yourself, its in my best interests to give you the rope. Just be careful, Winter-Hair. I don't want you to fall on my head." 

"If I fall, I'll be careful to aim for you," Aurora replied, "but thanks anyway, Fire-Top." 

Aurora took the rope and pulled one end into a tight loop. 

"Hey, Scar," she said, "do me a favor and hang this somewhere, so I can climb up." 

Scar considered the request a moment, then took the rope in his beak and flew off. The Sprout Tower was built with several levels, each with its own decorative roof surrounding the corner of the pagoda-like building. Scar flew up to the first level and hooked the rope around an ornamental Bellsprout statue that perched on a corner. Aurora tugged it to make sure it would hold her weight, and then began the climb. 

At first, her ascent was easy. She shinnied up the rope with no trouble at all, and then paused to rest on the tiled roof as Scar flew up to the next level. However, the higher she went, the more she felt the swaying of the building, and the more difficult the climb became. The rope swung back and forth wildly, slamming her into the wall or sending her swinging out over the staring crowds below. Even her rest stops became difficult as she tried to cling to the slippery roofs, and Scar was having more and more trouble trying to hook the rope to the next statue. Her arms, not used to such arduous work, were beginning to shiver with tiredness, and her hands burned from the friction of the rough rope. She was sweating with fear, making her shirt stick to her skin. Beads of moisture were sliding down her face, getting in her eyes, but she didn't dare free a hand to wipe them away. She lost track of how high she had climbed, having long ago realized that looking down was the worst of all possible ideas, when looking down meant seeing the ground moving around like the ocean in a storm. All she could think of was putting one hand above the other, climbing to the next level and the next, then sprawling out on the tiles and gasping for breath while she waited for Scar to do his work. She pulled herself onto yet another rooftop and flopped down, wondering just how much further she could go before her arms gave out entirely. 

_What are you doing here?_

Aurora jumped, nearly falling off the roof in surprise. The words were there, but there wasn't a source for them, not even a voice. Further thought made her realize that there hadn't even been words, just a _sense_ that was so certain that it was as if she'd heard them spoken. The idea gave her a funny feeling, the same one she'd had when she'd first realized she could understand Scar even though he was only communicating to her with squawks and rough pantomimes. She looked up and let herself meet the intense steely gaze of the Skarmory. 

"I came because I need to talk to you," she replied. 

_There is nothing to talk about,_ the Skarmory replied. _I want the red-haired one given to me so I may punish it for its insolence. Until he is given to me, I will not leave._

"He's not going to come," Aurora replied. "He's afraid of you. No matter what you do, he's going to hide on the ground where you can't get him... and he has powerful friends. If you bother him too long, they'll hunt you down and enslave you, or worse." 

The Skarmory sent her a powerful feeling of puzzlement, and Aurora had to shake herself to keep dizziness at bay. Skarmory wasn't supposed to have psychic powers, but it had a will stronger than anything she'd ever met, and she had the feeling it was forcing her to understand it, whether she should have been able to or not. Right now, the Skarmory was in quandaries. It knew it had to punish the human who had hurt it - its pride would allow for nothing less - but it couldn't think of anything worse than being enslaved and didn't want to try. 

_I must have my repayment,_ it told her at last. It tilted its head, studying her. _I've seen you before. You are the one who rescued me from the red-haired one. I see you have the mark-of-wings. You are a trainer. Have you power over him, as you do Pokemon?_

Aurora felt a little of her tension ease. The Skarmory had clear respect for someone who bore the Zephyr Badge, as it marked her as someone with the ability to beat powerful Flying- types. She also sensed a surprising amount of respect for trainers in general - the Skarmory seemed to have a vision of them as some kind of powerful magicians, almost. 

"I might have a little," she said carefully. 

_Then you will fight,_ said the Skarmory positively. 

"Huh?" 

_Trainers have fights. This all Pokemon know. You and he will have a fight. If you beat him, my vengeance will be taken out._

"Oh," she said. "And what if I lose?" 

_If you lose, I will have no choice but to continue hunting for him myself._

"I - I'd really prefer you didn't do that," said Aurora. 

_Then do not lose._

"You don't know what you're saying! Ember's a powerful trainer. I might not be able to win." 

_I do not see why you are complaining. You sent him away once. Surely you can do it again._

Aurora didn't back away only because of the knowledge of how close the roof's edge was. She did, however, become very aware of the Skarmory's beak and claws and razor-edged feathers. The bird's tone of thought was impatient. As far as it was concerned, she was just making excuses, something for which it had little tolerance. 

"All right, all right! I'll see what I can do," she replied. "Just give me a minute to get down off this roof, okay?" 

_Down is not a problem,_ the Skarmory replied. 

Before Aurora could realize what was happening, a huge metal beak had clamped itself around her shirt and lifted her up into the air. Then Skarmory spread his wings and went clashing down to earth, making a noise like a thunderstorm, with Skar fussing at him all the way. For a moment, she was swinging over the faraway ground, wondering if her shirt's thin fabric could really hold her up like this. Then she was being dropped onto the ground, stumbling and nearly falling with the unexpected impact. The bystanders looked at the Skarmory and backed away with fearful murmurs. 

"Don't worry!" Aurora shouted at them. "He's not going to hurt anyone! Yet," she added under her breath. 

"What's this all about?" asked Falkner, coming to her side. 

"Skarmory says he'll stop attacking the Tower if I can fight Ember and win," Aurora explained. "Otherwise, he'll just have to keep on hunting him until he's brave enough to come out and fight." 

She glared at the crowds, waiting to see if Ember was going to accept the challenge. He remained hidden. 

"All right then, be that way," she muttered. "Scar, be a dear and fetch him for me, would you?" 

"Spear!" Scar agreed, and fluttered into the air. He hovered a moment, then dove, and a few moments later, Ember came running out of the crowd, pursued by a shrieking Spearow. He had his head covered by his hands, trying to duck out of the way of Scar's flashing claws. 

"Argh! Call this thing off!" he shouted, as one of Scar's talons nicked his knuckles. "Drat it, you can't be _that_ fond of my company, can you?" 

"It's the Skarmory here who wants to see you," she replied. 

_Don't tell him,_ the Skarmory warned. _If you tell him, he'll lose on purpose. I want a fair fight._

"I think you're asking a bit much from him, there," Aurora replied. 

Skarmory shot her a warning glare. 

"All right, all right!" she said. She turned back to Ember, clearing her throat. "You owe this Skarmory a debt. Since you've already shown you'd rather fight with me than him, in his name, I challenge you to a Pokemon battle!" 

"You? You're hardly worth my time," said Ember, narrowing his eyes quizzically. "But it appears I don't have much choice. Fine, if it will get the both of you off my case, it will be worth it. Begin!" 

He opened a Pokeball and released his Seadra. Scar dove at it immediately, taking it by surprise, and Aurora cheered inwardly. Ember had been trying to catch her off-guard with a sudden start, but Scar had anticipated the move. There were, it seemed, advantages to keeping her lead Pokemon outside of his Pokeball! Now it was the Seadra who was put on defensive, trying to dodge around a Fury attack as only a Spearow could deliver it. It tried to hide in a Smokescreen, but it couldn't dodge forever. After a few moments of thrashing around, Scar managed to get in a lucky strike, and the Seadra feel to the ground. 

"Return!" Ember called. "Charmeleon, go!" 

Aurora watched as the dragon-like red lizard appeared, puffing wreathes of smoke in anticipation. She tried to remember - how had it fought earlier? Stayed in one place, mostly, getting in its hits when its opponent was out in the air where it could take aim. That meant... 

"Scar! Use your Sand-Attack!" she ordered. 

Scar did as he was told, diving close to the ground and stirring up a wind of sand and debris, briefly blinding the Charmeleon. While it couldn't see, Scar moved in closer, attacking over and over with his sharp beak, while Charmeleon struggled to get an attack in edgewise. He managed to score a few hits, clipping a few minor feathers from Scar's wings, but when they broke apart, it was definitely Charmeleon who was the worse for wear. 

"I tire of this," said Ember. "Charmeleon, Flamethrower!" 

"Dive!" Aurora shouted. 

Charmeleon shot his spear of flame into the air, hitting the place where Scar had been a split-second before. Now the Spearow was diving, skimming just inches above the ground, moving in a brown blur. The spurt of flame shut off abruptly as Scar rammed headfirst into the Charmeleon's unprotected underside, throwing it off its feet. It fell and lay still, and Scar rose into the air again, screeching his victory cry. 

"Game over!" shouted Ember, rushing to retrieve his Charmeleon. 

"All right!" Aurora cheered. "Way to go, Scar! You were awesome!" 

Scar returned to the ground and consented to be cuddled a moment before flying away as Ember approached. 

"Good match," he said. "I admit to being too predictable. You were lucky this time. Next time I'll have a surprise or two in store. Anyway, here's your forfeit." 

He pulled back the hem of his jacket to reach into his pocket. As he did, Aurora noticed the row of Pokeballs clipped to his belt. There were four. 

*_He held back,_* she realized, as she numbly accepted the bag of coins he put in her hand. *_The rules say he has to keep fighting until **all** of his Pokemon have fainted. For some reason, he held back. Did he know, somehow, what would happen if he lost? Or did he actually **want** me to win?_* 

There were no answers. As soon as Ember had finished with the formalities, he turned and vanished into the crowd before she could so much as thank him. She sighed and put it all out of her mind. There would be time enough to ask him next time they met, and he had as good as promised that there would be a next time. 

"Are you happy now?" she asked the Skarmory. "I beat Ember. Now you can go home." 

The Skarmory shook his head. _You have collected the debt that was owed to me. Now I owe you - once for saving me from him, and again for fighting my battle. I must repay you now._

"Oh, that - that's really not necessary," Aurora stammered. 

_It is,_ said the Skarmory firmly. _Debts must be repaid. I understand you have only one Pokemon. You will need more than that if you are to succeed in your calling. Your Spearow tells me that you are a kind and good trainer. I would be honored to serve you._

"Really?" she asked, her eyes lighting up. 

"What's he saying? What's he saying?" Laine hissed. 

"He says he wants to be my Pokemon!" Aurora replied. 

"If I were you, I'd say yes," said Falkner. 

"I'd be glad to have you along," said Aurora to the Skarmory. 

_I thought you would,_ said the bird smugly, preening. _I think it will work. Perhaps you can help me get the rust off my feathers._

Aurora laughed. "I'd be glad to. Welcome aboard, Skarmory." 

She took out a PokeBall and opened it, holding it out to the steel bird, who vanished into red light. Proudly, she clipped the Ball to her belt. The bystanders applauded. 

"Thank you," said the Master of the Tower. "Now that the Skarmory is gone, our beloved Bellsprouts can return home. Allow me to repay you by giving you this." 

He pressed a little box into her hands. She could see a notch on the side where the Zephyr Badge would fit, and realized that it was the Flash HM. 

"Thanks!" she said. 

"It is my pleasure," he replied. He smiled. "Besides, if I didn't give it to you, I believe you and your Bird Pokemon would win it easily enough, and do considerable damage to our Bellsprouts in the process. One Bellsprout rebellion is enough." 

Aurora grinned back. 

"What do you think, Scar?" she said. "A Flash HM, a battle, and a new Pokemon - not a bad day's work at all!" 

"Spear, spearow," said Scar, ruffling his feathers. 

"Of course it was all your doing," Aurora giggled. She dropped to her knees and hugged the bird tightly. 

"Spear, spear, spearow!" he yelped, trying to wiggle out of her embrace. She let him go, giggling, and he hopped away nursing his pride as the crowd tittered. 

"Don't tell him this," said Aurora to Laine as they began walking away, "but I'm actually starting to like that old grouch." 

~*~

The Bellsprouts had returned by sunset, much to the joy of their trainers. Laine had opted to stay at Sprout Tower, quizzing the Sages on their extensive knowledge of Bellsprouts, leaving Aurora and Falkner to return to the Gym. They wandered around in the front yard, watching Falkner's Pokemon spar playfully with Scar, who was trying hard to pretend he wasn't enjoying himself. Aurora smiled a bit, watching him. No matter what he did, somehow, she knew he was happy. 

"Falkner," she asked, "have you ever heard of a person being able to talk to Pokemon? Like, really talk to them, like people talk to each other?" 

"Of course," Falkner replied. "All good Pokemon trainers have a bond with their partners that lets them understand each other. The stronger the friendship, the tighter the bond, and the better you can communicate. Just look at you and Scar." 

"What about Pokemon you've never met before?" Aurora persisted. "Like... like that Skarmory today." 

Falkner laughed a bit. "Him? I'd be surprised if everyone couldn't understand him. Skarmories are strong-willed Pokemon, and he was very angry. Pokemon that strong have ways of making themselves understood. A powerful Psychic - for example, the legendary Mewtwo - can communicate with anyone, even someone who isn't a trainer. And then there are some trainers who have affinities with certain types of Pokemon, and can understand any of that type they encounter. That's one of the reasons some people specialize in particular types. A lot of Gym Leaders have affinities. Myself, for example." 

"You speak to Bird Pokemon?" asked Aurora. 

"Well, any Flying-type, really, but birds are my favorites," Falkner replied. "There are a few other Gym Leaders that I know of. Jasmine in Olivine City speaks to Steel-types. Lance the Dragon Master talks to his dragon squad more than he talks to other humans. Morty learned to talk to ghosts before he could even walk. Erika, in Kanto, she can talk to plants. We certainly could have used her today, couldn't we?" 

"And what about Clair?" Aurora prompted. 

"Clair doesn't have an affinity with anyone, really," said Falkner. "But there is someone I've forgotten, though... Giovanni! That's it! I always forget him." 

"Giovanni?" Aurora repeated. "The Rocket Leader?" 

"He's the one," Falkner replied. "Don't kid yourself. He's a masterful trainer. He passed through this island many years ago, when my grandfather was Gym Leader here. He won all the Badges of Kanto and Johto, and then went on to challenge the Elite Four. He battled them many times, but he always lost. They had enough respect for his skill to make him Leader of the Viridian City Gym, but it wasn't enough for him. He figured if he couldn't beat them at their own game, he'd beat them at another. He was the one who took a ragged band of thugs and turned them into a near empire. A great leader, Giovanni. Too bad he chose to lead the wrong sort of people." 

"So why don't they kick him out?" asked Aurora, amazed. 

"How can they?" Falkner replied with a shrug. "Like I said, he's a match for all but the Elite Four themselves, and he has dangerous followers. We _could_ go in and take away his privileges as Gym Leader, but it would cause an uprising. It's a compromise. We don't want him, but we let him have some leeway because we know what he'd do if we tried to squash him entirely. Do you understand?" 

"I think," she said. "You can deal with a few little Rocket squabbles here and there, but you might not be able to if they all attacked you at once. Right?" 

"Right. Actually, Team Rocket does us all a bit of a favor. It draws all those who would rather not live by our laws and rules together in one place, so we can keep an eye on them. If they ever get too out of control, we can put them in their place again. Face it, we'll never be able to stamp out crime entirely. In his way, Giovanni keeps it manageable." 

"Hm," said Aurora. It was a lot to think about. Falkner left her to her thinking for a while, staring off into the sky as it turned gold and orange. 

"Hey," he said, "would you look at that?" 

"Look at what?" she replied. 

"That!" 

He pointed, and Aurora looked. Squinting into the sunset, she could just make out the shape of something a slightly different shade of orange. It was a Dragonite, winging its way back to Blackthorn City. 


	4. Stage Four - Embers and Smoke

**Stage Four: Embers and Smoke**

  


**By: SilvorMoon**

Ember walked alone on the highway. He was dusty from his knees down from walking on the dry roads, and a hot wind tried to snatch his hat away. Even so, he felt content with his lot. At least he was away for a while, able to separate himself from a life that had gotten annoying and do what _he_ wanted to do for a change. And right now, what he wanted to do was make tracks to Azalea Town to seek out the next Gym Leader. He took out his PokeGear to take a glance at his map, only to have its readings obscured by a large black shadow. He looked up and sighed. 

"Great," he muttered. "So much for leaving my past behind me." 

Hovering above him was a gleaming golden Dragonite, looking down on him with curiosity. When it realized it was being watched, it began to fly away again. 

"Oh, no you don't!" said Ember. "You're not getting away that easy! Aerodactyl, I choose you!" 

He unclipped the PokeBall from his belt and lobbed it into the air, releasing a shrieking grey dragon-like creature into the sky. It wheeled about to block the Dragonite's escape path and dove, attacking wildly. The Dragonite watched it with a look that could almost be called condescending, dipping out of the way at the last possible second and dealing the Aerodactyl a whap with its tail as it passed. That seemed to push the flier into a blind fury, and it turned again, screeching and slashing wildly. The Dragonite looked more annoyed than anything; it fended every attack with no trouble. Ember sighed. 

"This is ridiculous," he muttered. "All right, be that way, then! Aerodactyl, return!" 

The Aerodactyl ignored him. All of its attention was focused on the Dragonite, which was busy trying to escape. 

"Aerodactyl, I said, return! ... Oh, why do I even bother? Charmeleon, Seadra, get out here!" 

In two bursts of light, another pair of Pokemon joined the fray. They stared at the battle above their heads, and then looked to Ember for instruction. 

"Don't worry about the Dragonite," he told them. "He's out of your league, anyway. Just get that stupid Aerodactyl back in his ball where he belongs!" 

The two 'mons nodded and turned to the Aerodactyl, not even needing to be instructed. The Seadra filled the air with bubbles, drenching the Rock-type and making it difficult for him to fly. When he tried to escape, Charmeleon blocked him with plumes of fire. Gradually, the Aerodactyl was worn down enough that Ember could call him back, and he shut the ball with an annoyed snap. 

"I'm going to tape this thing shut," he muttered. "Nothing but trouble! Are you two guys okay? Good. Back you go." 

He ushered his 'mons back into their balls and clipped them back to his belt, next to the last unused ball. He sighed. 

"This training business is harder than it looked," he said. "But I will make it work! Nobody's going to get in my way - not my uncle, not Clair... and not that white-haired girl," he added as an afterthought. 

"No?" said a cold voice. "Then how about me?" 

"Huh?" 

Ember barely had time for a reaction before someone grabbed him from behind, pinioning his arms. He tried to reach for his Pokeballs, but he couldn't bend his arms that far, not with this unidentified person holding them in place. He struggled, but there was nothing a teenaged boy could do against a strong older man. 

"That's right, fight," the person behind him whispered. "You won't get away from me, boy. Or should I call you... Ember?" 

"Ember? Listen, you've got the wrong guy - I'm just a trainer!" 

"Don't lie to me, kid. Disguise yourself all you want, but I'd still know that red hair of yours anywhere. Besides, one Rocket will always recognize another." 

"So you're a Rocket? Then what do you think you're doing, messing with me? Don't you know what will happen to you if I get hurt?" Ember demanded. 

"Nothing worse than what's already happened," said the voice. "Don't you remember me? I was with the team that was putting together the hub in Ilex Forest. I was stationed as a guard there. When the project collapsed, the boss couldn't stand that his own precious nephew had messed up, so he blamed it on us. I've been fired because of your screw-up, and now I'm going to have my revenge." 

"You wouldn't dare." 

"Why not? No one will see. There will never be any evidence. They'll probably never even find your body." 

"What...?" Ember began. Then something very hard came in contact with his head, and he slipped into darkness. 

He came around a few hours later, conscious of dampness on his clothes and bone-chilling cold. Vaguely, his brain still spinning from being struck, he wondered what had happened. Had it rained on him while he was asleep? And why did his head hurt so much? Feeling only somewhat worried, he tried to sit up - and pain shot through his leg, making him cry out. His voice echoed weirdly. At the same moment, his eyes snapped wide open and were met by darkness. Breathing hard now from pain and surprise, he began trying to take stock of his situation. His leg seemed to be bent at the wrong angle; his knee felt like it was out of joint. A number of other little bruises and cuts told him where the dark and dampness had come from. He'd been thrown to the bottom of Slowpoke Well... not a bad place, he realized, to throw someone you didn't want found. Not even trainers came down here very much, not unless they were specifically interested in wild Slowpokes, and not many were. He could lie down here for days and never see a soul, and by that time... 

"I'm getting out of here," he said firmly. 

He reached for the PokeBalls at his belt. Charmeleon might not care much for this damp place, but he was large and strong enough that he would be able to help Ember to safety. That was the plan, anyway, but even in the dark he could see that it was not going to work. The ball with the Charmeleon was gone! Had it fallen off when he'd been dropped? No, that wasn't likely. The balls were all clipped on tightly, and he didn't think he'd fallen hard enough to loosen all four of them... but they were all gone. 

"Stolen," he muttered. "That - that - that _thief_ took _my_ Pokemon! And after all that work! Now I'll never get out of here!" 

He sighed, dropping his head back to the cold stone. He wished he could go back to sleep for a while, maybe until his headache went away. He wondered if it would take very long to starve to death, and whether he could find a way out of here before that. He wondered if his uncle would miss him. While he was lying there wondering, a Slowpoke shuffled out of the gloom and began inspecting him. It nosed at his hat, knocking it off, and began chewing on his hair. 

"Yuck!" shouted Ember, sitting up so suddenly that a chunk of hair came out, and a fresh jolt of pain ran up his injured leg. "What do I look like, a bush? Get away! Go on, shoo!" 

He waved blindly in the direction of the Slowpoke and felt his hand connect with something. The Slowpoke considered a moment, decided that being hit hurt a bit, considered some more, and finally came to the conclusion that it had places it would rather be. It shambled off, carrying Ember's hat in its mouth. 

~*~

"I never thought I'd ever get out of that!" Aurora sighed, stepping out of Union Cave and into the sunshine. 

"Ya did good," said Laine. "Only screamed four times. That's pretty good, for you." 

"I can't help it! I just don't like bats." 

"So what? I don't like asparagus, but I don't scream when I see it," said Laine. She paused, looking critically at the sky. "Sun's shinin'. Was shinin' last time I was here, too." 

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Aurora said. She was still stinging a bit from being reminded of her weakness. It wasn't as if she was afraid on purpose, after all. She'd be happy to not be afraid if she could. 

"Not that obvious," answered Laine. "You must not know much about Azalea Town. I told you it was fulla Slowpokes, right? Well, we've got a kind of joke, says that a Slowpoke's yawn brings the rain. Joke is - Slowpokes are always yawnin', and it's always rainin' in Azalea. Except... today it's not." 

"Well, that's good, right?" said Aurora. "I know I don't want to be rained on again. Once is enough." 

"Might be good. Might not," Laine replied. She was still staring at the sky, a crease in her forehead betraying worry. "I hope we don' have a drought or somethin'. That wouldn' be good. We need the rain." 

"What for?" asked Aurora. 

"Well, lots of things. It makes the Apricorn bushes grow, for one thing. We grow the best Apricorns in the world - that's why grandpa lives here. And Bugsy likes the rain - Fire-types are strong against Bug-types, and the rain gives him an edge." 

"Ah," said Aurora. "So a drought would be the best time to challenge him, right?" 

"Right," Laine replied. "But you're talkin' about my hometown." 

"Oops. Sorry, Laine." 

"'Sokay. Anyway, as long as we've gotta be here... guess I might as well show you 'round," Laine replied. "Ain't nobody who knows her way around this place better than me! Come on!" 

She gripped Aurora's wrist, suddenly full of energy again, and dragged her down the hill towards the town, stirring up clouds of dust with their footfalls. Even so, the town managed to look cheerful as they approached it. The sun reflected brightly off the town's yellow roofs, and flowers still managed to bloom in multicolored clumps in every front yard. The town had an earthy look to it, with wooden houses and lots of greenery. Pokemon, Slowpokes in particular, were roaming freely, dozing in the warm sunlight. Aurora could believe that this was the place where her friend had grown up - they both had the same air of down-to-earth good cheer. 

"Where's your house?" Aurora asked. 

"Over yonder somewheres," said Laine, waving vaguely at the far side of the town. "I don' wanna go there just yet. First let me show you something cool." 

She led the way to a small building with a large chimney, through which large amounts of smoke were issuing. Stepping inside, Aurora found herself staring across a wide room and into a blazing inferno at the far side. She coughed as she got a sudden whiff of smoke, and Scar loudly protested the increase in temperature on an already warm day. Laine didn't seem to be bothered by it. While Aurora was still trying to adjust her lungs, Laine was shouting a cheery greeting to the men working in the smoky room. 

"Laine!" said one of them, stopping what he was doing to grin at her. "Long time no see! I thought you'd forgotten all about us." 

"Nah, just decided to take a hike," Laine replied. "Brad, this is 'Rora. 'Rora, this is Brad. He's the one who gave me my Charcoal Amulet." 

"Pleased to meet you," said Aurora, offering a hand to shake. 

Brad held up his hands, showing that they were covered in soot. "Sorry! I'm kind of a mess right now... but pleased to meet you anyway. Are you looking to buy Charcoal? For a friend of Laine's, I might give you a discount..." 

"Oh, no you don't!" said the older man. "Don't listen to my helper, young lady. I'm the one who sets the prices around here. He's just a lazy bum... not to mention a flirt." 

"Quack!" said a Farfetch'd, who was busy chopping sticks of wood. "Quack, quack, quack!" Aurora giggled, and the others stared at her. 

"What's so funny?" Brad asked. 

"He says, not only are you lazy, but you're also scared of the dark," Aurora explained. 

"Quack, quack, quack, quack!" 

"He says the reason you make Charcoal is so you'll always have light around." 

By this time, Laine and the charcoal man were also laughing, and Aurora was trying to hide a pleased grin. Brad was staring at her. 

"Who are you supposed to be? Dr. Doolittle?" he asked. "I'm going to have to glue that bird's mouth shut..." 

"Rora's a trainer," said Laine. "She's good at talking to Pokemon." 

"Ah! Going to take on Bugsy?" the charcoal man asked. "Perhaps we could interest you in buying an Amulet? It will boost your advantage if you have a Fire-type in your team..." He trailed off hopefully. 

"Sorry," she said. "All I've got are Flying-types. They've got an advantage already." 

"Oh." The charcoal man looked distinctly put-out. "Well... some other time, maybe?" 

"Maybe," said Aurora. "Anyway, I think I should be going. There's still a lot to do here." 

"I guess," Laine replied, unwillingly following her friend outside. 

"What?" asked Aurora, stepping back into the sunshine. It was nice to be able to breathe fresh air again, and the temperature outside felt almost cool by comparison. "We do have things to do today." 

"Like go to the Gym?" Laine suggested. 

Aurora turned to look at her friend. "What is with you today?" 

"Huh?" 

"Oh, come on. You've been acting weird ever since we got here... like there's something you don't want me to see." 

"Why would you think that?" asked Laine. 

"Because you didn't even want me to come here to begin with. Now you're telling me where to go now I'm here. Come on, Laine, spill. What's the problem?" 

Laine looked dismayed. "Well... Remember when I said I didn't really want to go back home?" 

"Yeah..." 

"I don't." 

"Why not?" 

"I just don't, okay? Sheesh, do ya hafta know my whole life story, or what?" Laine snapped. Scar glared at her, then nipped her hand with his sharp beak. "Yowch! What'd ya do that for?" 

"Spear, spear, spearow. Spear, spear." 

"He's got a point, you know," said Aurora. 

"No, I don't," Laine replied. "You're the only one who understands him, remember?" 

"Oh, yeah. Sorry," Aurora replied. "But anyway, what exactly did you tell your grandfather in that letter you sent him?" 

"That I was goin' to Blackthorn with you." 

"Right," Aurora replied. "But I'm not going to Blackthorn anymore. I'm going to be running all over Johto." 

"But you'll get back to Blackthorn eventually, so I'm still goin' there with you," Laine answered. 

"It's not the same and you know it." 

"So?" Laine replied. "It's none of your business. Grandpa would never let me go anywhere if I asked him. He'd never let me even go into the forest if he had a choice. You think he's gonna just let me walk off into the wild blue whatever? I don' think so! Better for me to just disappear." 

"And leave him sitting here for months worrying why you haven't come back?" Aurora replied. "Look, if you want to come, come, but at least tell them before you go." 

"There isn' any them," said Laine. "Just Grandpa." 

Aurora was stunned for a moment. Then she shrugged. "So you want to leave him all alone without even a goodbye." 

Laine scowled. "Well, when you put it like that... Okay, I'll go tell him goodbye if it'll get you off my case." 

She turned around and stomped off, muttering to herself. Aurora shrugged and followed. 

After a long, tense walk, they finally found themselves at the edge of the town, looking up a hill at a little house. It stood against a backdrop of trees, the nearby Ilex Forest, and the front yard was full of bushes with multicolored seeds. Scar pecked at a few but decided they weren't edible. Laine led the way up a flagstone path that was nearly hidden by grass and overhanging bushes to knock on the front door. It was answered by an elderly man with a ridge of greying black hair around his mostly bald head. 

"I'm sorry, but my workload is very heavy right now, so if you want to order a PokeBall-" he began, and stopped in mid-sentence as he realized who was on his doorstep. "Elaine! _There_ you are! Great Forest Guardian, I've been almost out of my mind worrying about you... well, don't just stand there, get inside! Wait a minute, who's this?" 

"Grandpa, this is 'Rora. She's a trainer," Laine explained. "She's been looking after me - her and her Pokemon. See?" 

She gestured at Scar, who ruffled his feathers and squinted out of his scarred eye, looking properly dangerous. 

"Well," said Kurt. It was all he had to say on the subject, but he looked a degree less angry, and he ushered Aurora inside with respect. He beckoned for Scar to join them, but the bird took a look at the enclosed space and squawked his preference to stay outside and chase bugs. Aurora patted his beak and told him to be a good boy, then turned and went inside. 

Directly inside the front door was a large open space, some odd combination of workshop and sitting room, with the living room furniture jumbled oddly with a large work table and several shelves of tools and equipment. Sitting in the middle of the room was a large pile of Apricorns in various colors. That was what Aurora had expected to see in the workshop of the famous Kurt. What she hadn't expected to see was a Cubone, which was sitting next to the pile of nuts, methodically cracking them in half, scooping out the insides, and sorting the shells by color. It seemed to surprise Laine, too. 

"Where'd he come from?" she asked. 

"You sent him to me," answered to Kurt. 

"I did?" asked Laine. "Oh, yeah, the critters we took from the Rockets! I'd almost forgotten 'bout them. But I told you to find homes for them, not keep 'em for yourself." 

"I did find homes for most of them. There are only two left now," Kurt replied. "This one and I get along well enough, so I decided to keep him. He does a lot of the work I'm getting too old to do. The other one I don't know what I'm going to do with, though. He's in the back garden if you want to see him. Maybe your friend will have a use for him." 

"Whatcha think?" asked Laine. "You want an extra Pokemon?" 

"You can never have too many," Aurora replied. "Especially since I only have two now." 

They went out back, where there was a small lawn cleared amidst the bushes (thought it was getting slightly overgrown, having not been mown in weeks). In the yard was a Machop, who was busily going through his paces, kicking and chopping at the air. He was so intent on his exercise that he didn't even look up as the girls approached. 

"No wonder Grandpa doesn' want him," Laine remarked. "Machops are no good for workin'. All they wanna do is fight. You want it, Aurora?" 

"I don't know," Aurora replied. "I sort of already told Scar I didn't want any Machops. He might get annoyed with me." 

Hearing voices, the Machop looked up. It glanced at Aurora. It stared at Laine. 

"Chop!" it squealed joyfully. It catapulted itself across the lawn to hit Laine with the force of an oncoming train... only it didn't _really_ hit her, it threw its arms around her in a hug that squeezed the air out of her lungs. Aurora thought she heard a few ribs pop. 

"Get this thing off me!" Laine yelped, trying in vain to free herself. 

"Chop, chop, chop..." said the Machop happily, rubbing its head against her side like a happy cat. 

Aurora laughed. "Are you sure I should keep him? I think he likes you!" 

"Oh, yeah? Well, I don't want him to like me! Get _off_!" she complained. She shoved the Machop, and it finally let go of her, only to stand a few feet away and stare at her with an expression of rapt adoration. 

"What is wrong with this thing?" Laine demanded. 

Aurora shrugged. "He must be one of the ones you caught with the Friendship Balls. You said they would make Pokemon like you." 

"Yeah, but not this much," Laine sighed. "Darn it! I was never any good at Friendship Balls." 

"I'm assuming you forgot to let the shells dry before you wired them up," said an authoritative voice behind her. Laine whirled to find her grandfather standing over her shoulder. "Drying the shells is very important... as you can see. Thought you'd take a shortcut, did you?" 

"No!" Laine protested. "I just needed help in a hurry! If I hadn't done somethin', those Rockets would have hurt someone.. Me, for example." 

"So he got too strong a dose, and now you can't get rid of him," Kurt finished. "Well, there's nothing that can be done about that now." 

"There isn't?" asked Laine, still gawping at the Machop, who continued staring back dreamily. "That's the last thing I needed - a Machop with a crush on me." 

Kurt shrugged. "You'll just have to hope it wears off. It probably will, given a month or two. Of course, I have no idea what you're going to do with him until then. There really isn't much use for Fighting-types if you aren't going to train them..." 

"He'll be good for protection," said Laine. "You know, for when I go out." 

"Go out?" Kurt repeated. "And just where, young lady, do you think you're going to go?" 

"With her," said Laine. 

"And where is she going?" 

"Everywhere," Laine replied. "She's a trainer, Grandpa. She's collecting the Badges of Johto, and I'm going with her." 

"No, you are not!" said Kurt sternly. "How many times do I have to tell you, I am not letting you wander off on these wild adventures? You are going to stay here where it is safe!" 

"That's what you think. I don' wanna be safe, Grandpa, I wanna go out and do things!" 

"Elaine, you and I have had this conversation before. I think you already know what the answer is." 

"Yeah. I'm leavin' whether you like it or not." 

"Don't you take that tone of voice with me!" 

"Chop?" the Machop inquired. "Chop, chop?" 

"He's always telling me that," Laine answered distractedly. "He wants me to stay at home and shell nuts all my life." 

"I want you to stay out of trouble," said Kurt. 

"Um," said Aurora, looking for a way to derail what looked like a long, ugly argument. "Did anyone notice the Slowpoke is back?" 

"Huh?" said Laine. "Oh, hey, Slowpoke! When'd you get here?" 

"Slow..." the Slowpoke yawned. He took a few steps toward his owner, changed his mind, and went to sleep on Aurora's foot. 

"Hey, get off! You're heavy," she complained, bending down to shove him away. "Wait a minute, what's this?" 

"What's what?" asked Laine, seizing the distraction. 

"He's got something around his mouth. Looks like someone's hat," Aurora answered. She picked it up and studied it. It was a very familiar denim cap, with a few wisps of bright red hair still clinging to it. 

"Looks kinda familiar, doesn't it?" Laine remarked. 

"Looks like the one Ember wears," answered Aurora, turning it over in her hands. "Looks a lot like Ember's hair, too." 

"Ember?" Kurt repeated. "Who or what is Ember?" 

"Just some guy we keep running into," answered Laine. "But how would Slowpoke have gotten a mouthful of Ember's hair? He wouldn't just be sitting around letting Slowpokes take bites outta him..." 

Aurora's expression clouded. "Not unless he was in trouble." 

"Slow!" said the Slowpoke. "Slow... poke!" 

"Spear, spear, spearow," Scar translated. Aurora nodded. 

"What's he saying?" Laine asked. 

"He says the Slowpoke found a cave. He's annoyed, though. Slowpokes aren't very good conversationalists." 

"Was it the same guy we fought with last time I saw you?" Laine asked the Slowpoke. 

The Slowpoke thought a moment, then grunted. Scar squawked, and Aurora translated: "He forgot." 

"Great," Laine muttered. "All right, all right, how 'bout this? Was the guy you got this from in trouble? Was he hurt? Lying down on the ground like he couldn' get up?" 

There was a long moment while the Slowpoke tried to muddle through all the questions at once. At last, it gave an affirmative nod. 

"You sure?" Laine pressed. 

Slowpoke nodded again. 

"That's all I needed to hear!" said Laine. "C'mon, 'Rora, we're goin'. Hey, Grandpa, can we borrow some ropes and things? We might need 'em." 

"Do you want me to go along?" Kurt asked. 

"Nah, we'll be okay. I'll take the Machop along," Laine replied. "C'mon, Machop. Let's see if you can impress me." 

"Chop!" said the Machop. He sprinted toward the door and waited eagerly for her to catch up to him. She followed behind, pausing only long enough to rummage through a closet and pull out a length of rope. Aroura watched, bewildered. 

"You're awfully eager to save him," she remarked. "I thought you didn't like Ember." 

"I don't," said Laine firmly, hauling out what appeared to be a first-aid kit. 

"Then why...?" 

"Let's just say I've got reasons," said Laine. "I'd never leave anyone alone and hurt, even him. Why? Doncha wanna rescue your boyfriend?" 

"I would if I had one," Aurora replied, "but I'll come with you anyway." 

"You girls be careful!" Kurt shouted, as Laine grabbed Aurora by the arm and hauled her out the door. His only answer was a slamming door, and he sighed and shook his head. 

"That girl," he said. "She's her father's child, all right. There's no changing that." 

"Bone, bone," his Cuebone agreed. "Bone, bone, cuebone." 

"You're right," Kurt agreed, sitting down at his workbench and picking through the Apricorn shells. "It is completely nuts." 

Meanwhile, Aurora and Laine were racing up the main road, throwing up clouds of dust, while Scar soared above their heads and the Machop urged them on. At last, breathing hard and sweating from heat and exertion, they arrived at the mouth of the Slowpoke Well. They stood there a moment, trying to catch their breath. Laine was the first to recover, and she stepped up to the cave, cupping her hands to her mouth and shouting. 

"Hello, down there!" she bellowed. "We know you're down there, so say something!" 

"Hello?" a hesitant voice called back. "Can you hear me? I need help!" 

"That's him!" said Aurora. "Hang on, we're coming!" 

It took a little while to suit action to words, but eventually they managed, hitching the rope to a large rock and climbing carefully into the well. The drop was steep, almost vertical, and they had to proceed slowly to keep from falling on top of each other. Even Scar was having difficulties, trying to find some way of flying almost straight down without crashing into something. He managed by making little flying hops down the well's steep sides, dropping pebbles down on the heads of those below him. At last, they reached the bottom and looked around, or tried to. It was pitch black. Laine rummaged around in her pockets and came up with her Charcoal amulet, letting its reddish light show them a deep, dark, wet cave. Aurora looked around, seeing how the amulet's light reflected off the puddles and slick rocks. She looked up and saw dozens and dozens of sleeping Zubats. She made a choking noise as she tried to stifle a shriek. 

*_I'm not going to freak out,_* she told herself sternly. *_Laine is right. I've got to learn how to not be afraid. The last thing I need is to make a fool of myself in front of Ember..._* 

"You okay?" asked Laine, glancing at the bats. 

"Fine," Aurora replied. She didn't want to say much more; despite her resolve, she still didn't like the idea that there were all those shrieky, fanged, winged things above her head. 

Laine nodded. "We'll move fast. Let's see if we can find ol' Fire-Top and drag him home. Ember! Hey, Ember, where're ya hidin'?" 

There was an answer. From somewhere in the shadows, a faint, pain-filled voice echoed off of the rocks. It said, "Oh, no, not you again." 

"You ought to be glad to see us," said Aurora. "We came down here to save you, didn't we?" 

"Did you? I thought you'd just come to be irritating, as usual." 

"Maybe we should just leave him here, after all," said Laine. 

"Chop, chop!" the Machop agreed. He seemed to feel that his trainer had been insulted. 

"No, we came this far," Aurora said. She was following the sound of the voice, and very soon, she came upon a damp and crumpled figure lying on the floor. He still managed to look balefully up at her. 

"So, we meet again," he said. "Have you come to gloat?" 

"I wouldn't have risked my neck just to come down here and insult you," Aurora replied. "Laine, come here a minute. I think Ember's going to need your first-aid kit." 

"All right, all right," Laine muttered. She scrambled over to join Aurora. "And all right. Looks like your buddy's a little roughed up. Well, sit back an' let the doctor do her work. Where does it hurt?" 

"I'm not letting you near me," said Ember angrily. He tried to back away, but was forced to stop as his injured leg betrayed him. 

"Okay, be that way, then," said Aurora, giving Laine a wink that Ember couldn't see in the darkness. "Come on, Laine. Ember would obviously rather be left alone." 

She turned and began walking away, Scar hopping obediently behind her. Laine thought about it for a moment, then followed after, beckoning for her Machop to copy Scar's example. Ember was silent up until the point when the light from Laine's amulet could no longer be seen. The threat of being left in the dark outweighed any pride he had left. 

"Hey, wait!" he shouted. 

"Wait for what?" asked Aurora. "You said you wouldn't let us near you, so we obviously can't help..." 

"Well... any help you try to give me won't be as bad as being left behind to starve," said Ember. "If I'm lucky, maybe you'll kill me quickly and be done with it." 

"Not likely," said Laine. "I'm no doctor, but I don' think I'm gonna kill you. Sit still and let me see how bad you managed to bust yourself up." 

"As if I did it on purpose," Ember muttered. Laine ignored him, coming to kneel next to him and make as close an inspection of his injuries as he would allow. 

"So how _did_ you wind up down here?" asked Aurora. "Did you fall or something?" 

"I'm not such a klutz as all that," Ember replied. "Someone thought it would be more fun to give me a push. I'm lucky to just have a few bumps. He wanted me dead." 

The words were spoken as if it were all very matter of fact, but Aurora felt a little chill run through her. She had imagined the next few years of her life with Ember playing a role in them, and it was odd to think of someone trying to remove him from it. And how did anyone speak so casually of having someone out to kill them? 

"Why would anyone want to do that?" she asked. 

"Just because," Ember replied. "Jealousy, most likely. It comes from being my uncle's nephew. When I'm with him, I'm safe enough, but it seems that when I'm out in the open..." He shrugged. "I thought my Pokemon would be enough of a defense. Obviously, I'm not as prepared as I thought I was." 

"You're a good trainer," said Aurora. "Falkner said as much, and he should know." 

"Yeah, well, I'm not good enough," Ember answered. "Ow! Watch what you're doing!" 

That last remark was addressed to Laine, who was making an inspection of his injured knee. The remark was rather unfair; despite her blunt speech and careless ways, she actually had a very good bedside manner. If Aurora hadn't known her better, she would have sworn she was in the presence of a nurse instead of a Pokeball-maker's unwilling apprentice. Aurora wondered if maybe Laine's forays in to Pokemon studies had taught her some veterinary skills. 

"Can't help it," Laine replied. "You threw your leg outta joint. Anything I do to it's gonna hurt." 

"Well, do something helpful, at least," said Ember. 

"I will," Laine replied. "It's pretty obvious, we're gonna hafta get your leg put back together before you can get outta here. Be better if a doctor did it, but you're gonna hafta settle for little ol' me. Can you handle a little pain?" 

"As if I wasn't doing it already." 

"Fine," said Laine. "Hey, Machop, wanna help me out here?" 

The Pokemon's eyes lit up happily, and he exclaimed, "Chop, chop, chop!" as if there was nothing in the world he would rather do. 

"Great. You hang onto the boy's shoulders so he doesn't slip. 'Rora, you take his foot - that's right. When I give the signal, you pull, nice and steady. Ember, you just try to stay relaxed. I'm gonna try to push the bone back in place, and if you tense up, it's just gonna hurt worse, so trust us, okay?" 

Ember looked as if he didn't want to trust them at all, but he voiced no complaints. Everyone else moved into the positions Laine had dictated and waited for her signal. 

"Ready?" she said. "One - two - three - pull!" 

Aurora, uncomfortably aware at how awkward the situation was, nevertheless tightened her grip on Ember's foot and pulled. Ember hissed at the pain, but kept manfully silent. For a moment, they were frozen in the peculiar tableau. Then Aurora's grip slipped, Ember's shoe came free, and she fell over backwards clutching a sneaker. Without Aurora's counterpull, the Machop also tipped over, taking Ember and Laine with him. At the same instant, there was a gasp and a loud POP! Everyone fell into a heap. 

"Ow," said Laine vaguely. "Get off me!" 

That last remark was addressed to the Machop, who was not actually on her at all, but seemed unduly pleased that she'd fallen on top of him, and she shoved herself away. Scar hopped over the Aurora to make sure she was all right, preening her hair. Ember sat up carefully, carefully flexing his injured leg. 

"Are you all right now?" Aurora asked, getting up to return his sneaker. 

"I'll live," he replied, accepting the shoe with his usual unruffled demeanor. 

"A successful operation," said Laine grandly, dusting off her hands. "Congratulations! I think you're gonna live... for a little while longer, anyway." 

"A great comfort," Ember replied. He attempted to get to his feet, but his sore limb refused to hold him, and he fell. 

"On the other hand, you're not gonna do much walkin' for a while," she added. 

"He'll be fine," said Aurora, going to give him a hand up. "Anyway, he's _got_ to walk if he's going to get out of here. Tell your Machop to give him a hand." 

Machop looked at Laine to see if it was really all right for this girl to order him around. When Laine only rolled her eyes, he decided it probably didn't matter, and he went to prop Ember up on his other side. With the help of him and Aurora, Ember was able to limp to the mouth of the cave. 

There he was faced with yet another problem: how to escape? The girls had climbed down with the help of a rope, and it had been difficult enough just sliding down that thin cable in the dark. How was a boy who could barely stand up going to climb all that height? 

"I think I see a problem," Laine remarked. 

"I don't," Ember replied. "Don't underestimate me just because I'm injured." 

"But-" said Laine, and stopped. Ember had released his hold on his supports and was walking carefully toward the climbing rope. Giving Laine a scornful glance, he took the rope in his hands and began hauling himself up by the strength of his arms. The Machop went next, offering the boy a push any time he lost his momentum, and Scar fluttered above them, calling down support in the form of his unmelodious shrieks. Laine crawled along below him, muttering to herself about the likelihood of "that showoff" losing his grip and falling on her head. Aurora silently brought up the rear, thinking. Cold as he might act, it was still hard not to admire Ember's determination. She wondered if that was why Scar was being so supportive all of a sudden. 

At last, they reached the top of the climb and went sprawling out onto the dry grass, panting from the exertion of the climb. Ember collapsed against a rock, looking as if his stamina had given out entirely, but there was a desperate light in his eyes that said clearly he would have given a lot to be able to get up and run. As soon as Aurora had been hauled out of the cave by the helpful Machop, she went to quiz him about it. 

"What are you looking so frantic about?" she asked. "We got you out of the cave, didn't we?" 

"Yes... I suppose I'm grateful for that," he answered, "but that wasn't my only problem. Whoever attacked me decided I wasn't going to need my Pokemon anymore. I've got to get them back." He tried to get up, but a glare from Laine made the Machop shove him in place again. 

"You're not goin' anywhere on that bad leg," said Laine firmly. "Not if I have anything to do with it. You go runnin' around like that, you'll fall and break your neck, and I like my patients to live." 

"You don't understand!" Ember snapped. "Those Pokemon are everything to me! Charmeleon and Seadra... I raised them from eggs. We grew up together. They're the only creatures in the world that care about me, and I'm not letting someone just take them away from me!" 

"Well, you're not gonna help 'em by runnin' around and gettin' yourself hurt," said Laine stubbornly. "Look, they're long gone now, okay? Ya aren't gonna find 'em. Report it to the authorities and let them find 'em for ya." 

"Laine, what are you saying?" said Aurora, aghast. 

"I'm trying to talk some sense into 'im," Laine said. "No, don't look at me like I'm an ogre! I know his Pokemon are important, but he's just not gonna be able to find 'em. Whoever took 'em has had a couple hours head start at least. There's just no way." 

"What do you think I'd say to that if someone had stolen Scar?" Aurora retorted. "I asked you why you were going to save Ember even though you don't like him, and you said you have your reasons. Well, I've got my reasons now. There's nothing I hate worse than people who mistreat their Pokemon, and any person who would try to kill a human would do the same to a Pokemon without blinking. Ember may be a Rocket and a pain in the neck, but he _is_ a responsible trainer - Falkner said so, and I trust him. Those Pokemon belong with Ember, and I'll give my help if he wants it. Ember?" 

Ember gave her a speculative look. "You're a strange girl, Winter-Hair. I almost have to admire you for it." 

"You're both outta your Apricorns," said Laine. "I dunno what your problem is, but I hope it's not contagious, 'cause I can't afford to - huh? Scar, what's your problem? 'Rora, what _is_ that bird going on about?" 

It was true that Scar appeared to be having problems. He was jumping around, screeching at the top of his voice, fluttering his wings and shedding feathers in every direction. Aurora listened a minute, then turned her eyes to the horizon. Her expression became puzzled, then fearful, prompting the others to look as well. In the distance was a dark green smudge that marked the beginning of the Ilex forest. There was another smudge, too, one that looked like it didn't belong, a pale grey-white cloud that rose slowly into the blue sky. Below it, just barely visible, was a faint orange glow. 

"What in the...?" said Aurora. 

"Charmeleon," said Ember. Forcing himself to his feet, ignoring his injured leg, he began staggering toward the town. 

"Hold it!" Laine snapped. 

Ember turned around and glared at her. "You're not telling me I can't go." 

"No, I'm not," said Laine. She was digging through the first aid kit. "I know when I'm outvoted. If you're determined to go out an' make trouble, just hold up long enough to put a bandage on that knee of yours so you don' end up crippled for life or something." 

"You're coming too?" asked Aurora hopefully. 

"I'm not gonna let his Charmeleon burn down my forest, if that's what you mean," Laine responded. She threw an ace bandage at Ember. "Here. Put that on, and let's get moving." 

Ember stared at her a moment as if she'd grown another head. Then, still wearing that puzzled expression, he began obediently wrapping the bandage around his knee. Once that was done, he turned without another word and began dashing for the village as fast as he could make himself go, not even turning to look at the two girls who followed close behind. 

~*~

Just a short while earlier, the Ilex forest was dark and still, save for the movement of a single man in black. The ex-Rocket snickered to himself as he slipped silently through the trees, feeling very pleased with himself. He had felt a little nervous about actually executing the deed, and he had been very careful about making his escape, creeping through backyards and keeping to the shadows. It was only now that he was out of the town, so ensconced in darkness that no one could find him if they looked, that he was allowing himself to feel a flicker of victory. He had gotten away with it! He had taken out Giovanni's snobby nephew, and latched on to the upstart's Pokemon into the bargain! He wasn't quite sure what kind of creatures the kid had been packing, but anyone in the Giovanni family line was bound to be carrying something pretty impressive. Well, now would be a good time to find out. He pulled out the four Pokeballs and looked at them. They were all the same. With a shrug, he picked one at random and threw. 

In a flash of orange light, Seadra appeared, and the Rocket grinned. Evolved Water-type - not too bad! It looked at him, as if demanding to know who he was and what he had done with Ember. 

"Don't give me that glare!" said the Rocket. "The kid's gone now, so I'm your master now, understand?" 

The Seadra did not understand. It looked him over with a scornful attitude, then very pointedly curled up on the forest floor for a nap. The Rocket scowled. 

"Fine! Be that way, then! You'll get what's coming to you in the end," he snapped. "Now I'll see if any of your friends are smarter." 

As luck would have it, the next choice he made was the Charmeleon, and it was not at all pleased to see a stranger trying to order him around. The fiery-tempered Pokemon wasn't about to take things lying down like his water-based counterpart was, either. He snarled at the usurper, showing off his claws and breathing little wisps of smoke. 

"What's your problem?" the Rocket demanded. "If you want to know, your old master is gone. I took care of him myself. Now I'm your partner, and you'd better get used to it." 

Charmeleon had other ideas. He spat a ball of fire at the wannabe-trainer. The Rocket dodged, and the fireball hit a shrub, setting the dry leaves and wood on fire. Undaunted, Charmeleon spat another fireball, this time hitting a clump of grass. The dry foliage caught the flames easily and held them, turning into a small bonfire. The Rocket looked around, finding himself hemmed in on two sides by fire and two more by Pokemon. Deciding that he had gotten in over his head, he tried to make a break for it, dashing past the sleeping Seadra. Unfortunately for him, the Seadra was not as asleep as all that. As the Rocket tried to run away, it turned around and fired a volley of spikes at him. One of them caught his jacket, pinning him to a tree, and no matter how he struggled, he could not get away. And all the while, the flames burned higher... 

By the time Ember, Aurora, and Laine arrived, the blaze had gone from cheerful to monstrous, gobbling up the dry forest in a crazed heat. The trainers arrived at the edge of the forest and stopped, staring up at that clouds of smoke. 

"Okay, this is bad," said Laine. "What are we going to do?" 

"Somebody's going to have to put this fire out," Aurora replied. 

"Forget the fire. I want my partners back," said Ember. Getting identical glares from everyone around him, he added hastily, "If I had Seadra with me, we could tame this fire in no time." 

"So what we need is some water power," said Laine thoughtfully. "We can do that! Azalea's crawlin' with Slowpokes. If someone could convince them to get up here an' do something..." 

"Can you do that?" Aurora asked. 

"I think I can. Every Pokemon in town knows me, I've spent so much time studying them. They'll listen to me." 

"Then do it. We'll do what we can here." 

"We will?" asked Ember. He looked at Aurora and sighed. "I suppose we will. All right, Winter-Hair, you give the orders and I'll follow. You haven't killed me yet." 

"Maybe someday, if I'm lucky," Aurora replied. "But I think you're right, we're going to need all our Pokemon for this. We'll have to try to find them... if they're still in there." 

"Be careful!" said Laine. "I'm counting on you to get me out of this one-Ponyta town, and you can't do it if you get yourself cooked. I'm going for help! Be back soon! Machop, stay and take care of 'Rora for me!" 

"Chop, chop!" he agreed, waving a sad goodbye as his trainer sprinted back to Azalea town. 

Aurora and Ember turned back to the problem at hand. 

"All right, fearless leader," said Ember. "How are you going to get us through this?" 

"Not on our own. We need someone more fireproof to help us out," Aurora replied. "Skarmory, I choose you!" 

In a flash of light, Skarmory appeared. He raised his head, taking in the situation. 

_Hello,_ he said to Aurora. _Hot weather we're having._

"Never mind the funny stuff," she said. "Could you do me a favor and look in this forest and see if you can find a runaway Rocket? He's stolen some Pokemon, and we really need to get them back." 

Skarmory considered the request. As he did so, he caught sight of Ember, who backed away from his steely gaze. 

_That's the fire-haired one,_ Skarmory remarked. _Have you tamed him now?_

"Not yet," Aurora answered. "But he's helping out today, so be nice to him." 

_As you wish,_ said Skarmory. _I will find the hunter now. May I bite him if I find him?_" 

"A little," said Aurora. "Now, hurry! We don't have time to waste!" 

Skarmory dipped his head in agreement and went clattering into the air on his metal wings. His takeoff stirred a breeze, tossing Aurora's long hair. 

"Wind," Ember said thoughtfully. "That's what we need now - a good strong wind, to blow the fire away from the town." 

"That's no good. It would just send the fire to burn somewhere else," answered Aurora. "What we really need is... hey, Machop! Come here a minute. I want your help with something." 

"Chop, chop?" 

"Yeah, whatever," Aurora muttered, wishing Laine was around to translate. "Listen, can you chop down some of these trees? We need to clear off a space for a firebreak." 

"Chop!" said the Machop, in what sounded like an affirmative. 

"Great! What I need you to do is take everything down in a nice straight line, so when the fire gets here, it won't have anything left to burn, okay?" 

"Chop, chop!" The Machop scurried into the forest, and the sound of whacks and crashes told Aurora that he was at least doing something right. 

"A firebreak," Ember said. "Very clever." 

"Thanks," said Aurora. "But I'm not done yet! Hey, Scar, want to help out?" 

"Spear, spearow!" 

"I thought so. Ember was right, we need a favorable breeze. Can you make a whirlwind to keep this blaze under control?" 

Scar nodded and rose into the sky, circling over them twice before soaring out of sight. The pair watched him go. 

"Well," said Ember, "it looks like now we wait. I'm impressed with you, Winter-Hair. I'd expect a girl like you to go to pieces in a situation like this." 

"If you're trying to get me riled, it won't work. It's also a bad idea," Aurora replied. "The last thing we need is to be fighting each other when we have work to do." 

"That's true. I apologize. I should know your courage by now. Perhaps it's only because I'm used to working with cowards." 

"You don't sound very proud of your Rockets." 

"I work with what I'm given," answered Ember casually, but Aurora thought she heard a note of unhappiness in his voice. "I have to. My uncle is expecting me to take over his work for him someday. I have to be ready." 

"You can call him Giovanni," said Aurora. "I'm not that unobservant." 

Ember raised an eyebrow. "Do you call all your relatives by name?" 

Aurora was not to be distracted. "But you are his nephew, aren't you?" 

"I'm not his red-headed step-child." 

"Well, sorry," said Aurora. "I just don't usually think about Giovanni having a nephew." 

"Why not?" Ember retorted. "It isn't as if he had anything to do with it. Nephews just happen, whether you want them or not." 

"So you're being trained to be the Rocket Leader someday?" 

"Someday I will be," said Ember, "but that's not what I'm training for. I'm training to become a Pokemon Master, just as you are." 

"That's something else I wanted to ask you about," Aurora said. "That last battle we fought - why did you hold back?" 

Ember gave her an opaque look. "Why do you say I did that?" 

"I saw. You only took out two Pokeballs, but you had four on your belt. The rules say you're supposed to release all your Pokemon until they're all beaten. You held back." 

Ember laughed. "And you hate to have anyone go easy, don't you? You and your honor. You're such an idealist. But you can put your mind at ease; I wasn't holding back - not to spare you, anyway." 

"Then who?" asked Aurora. 

"And she doesn't miss a beat, either," Ember remarked. "All right, if you must know, the truth is that Charmeleon and Seadra are the only Pokemon I have in fighting shape. The others, well... One is an Aerodactyl Uncle Giovanni gave me when he realized I was interested in training. He wanted me to have something powerful on my side. Only problem is, it's too powerful - he won't obey me at all, not until I get some more Badges. As for Hope..." 

"Hope?" 

"That's her name. She's still too weak to fight. Your Scar would have beaten her before she knew what had happened. It would have been pointless, and I didn't want to see her get hurt for no reason. Charmeleon and Seadra were a good match for Scar. It was a fair fight... So next time, don't be thinking that people are doing things just because of you." 

Aurora flushed a bit, but she was saved from having to answer by the return of Skarmory. He was flying low and shrieking like a banshee, chasing a frightened man in Rocket uniform, followed closely by a pair of Pokemon. As soon as they saw Ember, they changed direction and made a dive for him, squealing and roaring their delight in seeing him again. The Rocket, taking advantage of their distraction, tried to slip away, but was stopped as Skarmory pinched his jacket collar and lifted him off the ground, letting him choke and struggle. 

"Nice job, Skarmory," said Aurora. "Just stick him in a tree or something until we're ready to deal with him. Oh, and get those Pokeballs back, would you, please?" 

_If you wish,_ answered Skarmory politely. He dropped the Rocket onto the spindly branches of a nearby pine tree, forcing him to cling tightly to the trunk to avoid being dumped to the ground. Skarmory's razor beak nipped through the man's belt, depositing it and all four of Ember's Pokeballs onto the ground. 

"Thanks," said Ember, going to retrieve them. 

_I suppose you're welcome,_ Skarmory answered. It turned its attention to the Rocket. _You behave. The silver one has given me permission to bite you if you don't._

It was unclear whether or not the Rocket understood what was being said to him, but just Skarmory's cold eyes and sharp beak were communicative enough. He clung to his tree, screwed his eyes shut tight, and shook like a leaf. 

"Now we can get something done," said Ember. "Seadra! Get out there and start putting those fires out! Charmeleon, help Machop with the firebreak!" 

"You can help, too, Skarmory," said Aurora. "Go check up on Scar - see if you can't help him control the fires." 

The Pokemon eagerly obeyed the orders, each taking to the sky or the forest. Their trainers made their way into the woods, doing what they could to organize the construction of the firebreak. It looked like a hopeless task. Feeding on the dry plant life, the fire had grown into a blazing inferno, and even the valiant efforts of the Pokemon wasn't enough to slow it down. The temperature, which had been uncomfortably hot even before the blaze, was nearly unbearable, and the air was filled with smoke. 

"We're running out of time!" shouted Aurora, trying not to choke on the acrid air. 

"Stand your ground," said Ember grimly. He looked to be in worse shape than Aurora was, his hair sweaty and bedraggled, his teeth bared in a grimace from the constant pain of his injuries. He'd been helping Charmeleon as best he could by dragging branches and fallen saplings away from the firebreak, and the strain was telling on him. "It's too late to run now." 

"It's almost too late to keep going," said Aurora, surveying the small clearing that was all they'd been able to create. "We're never going to finish in time!" 

"Chop! Chop, chop, chop!" the Machop shouted, jumping around excitedly. At the same moment, Scar dipped in from the sky, adding his screeches to the cacophony. 

"What is it?" asked Ember. 

"Laine's on her way - finally!" Aurora answered. "Hope she got some help!" 

Unwilling to wait to satisfy her curiosity, she made a dash for the edge of the woods until she could see the road back to town. What she saw amazed her. Ambling along behind Laine was a wave of pink - what looked like every Slowpoke in Azalea was trotting up the path. Augmenting this battalion were dozens of brown and grey shapes that Aurora slowly realized were the Pokemon they'd freed from the Rockets. She could even see a soaring shape that was unmistakably the charcoal man's Farfetch'd. Laine ran along in front, trying to keep pace with a fleet of swift-footed Machops. She sighted Aurora and waved, flashing her usual reckless grin. 

"Fear not, 'cause the cavalry's here!" she shouted. "Glad to see you two haven't killed each other yet." 

"We're not that stupid," said Ember. "All right, time to get organized! Seadra, round up these Slowpokes and put them to work. Half of them can be fighting the fires, and the other half wetting everything else down so it won't catch." 

"Okay, you Machops!" Laine barked. "Get to work cutting down trees! I'll show you where we're putting the gap." 

"Farfetch'd, get out there and help Scar and Skarmory direct the wind," Aurora ordered. "Rock and Ground-types, you're needed at the firebreak!" 

With the three of them shouting orders to their new recruits, everyone went to work. Under Laine's close supervision, a regiment of Machops did an admirable job of clearing out part of the forest, leaving an empty glen. Ember directed his Charmeleon in setting a series of carefully controlled blazes, burning out the fuel before the major fire could reach it, leaving bare and blackened ground behind. The diggers and tunnelers moved in then, digging up trenches, which the Slowpokes filled up with water. The birds hovered high above the construction, following Aurora's directions in directing the blaze. Scar swooped over her head, shrieking a warning. 

"Here it comes!" Aurora shouted. "Hit the decks!" 

"You don' hafta tell me twice!" answered Laine. "Machops, pull out!" 

"You heard the girl! Rock- and Ground-types, retreat!" Ember ordered. "Water-types, get ready!" 

"Scar, get everyone in position!" called Aurora. "Wait for our signal!" 

They waited, huddled in the shadows of trees, as if the darkness could hide them from the oncoming fire. Between them and the blaze, there was only a heap of fallen trees, laid out like a wall, and then a stretch of bare earth, and then... nothing but a fire that was coming slowly but steadily towards them. The scent of burning wood was heavy on the air; the heat was almost unbearable. Aurora pulled her sleeve over her mouth and nose, trying to filter out the smoke, and Ember had put a handkerchief over his face like a bandit. It was hard to see in the hazy air, but the sounds were clear enough - the constant rushing of flames, the crackle of burning wood, crashes as trees fell and branches snapped. Then an orange light came into view, and Aurora shouted. 

"It's coming!" she called. "Scar, Skarmory, Farfetch'd, get ready... Now!" 

There was a rush as the wind that had been herding the fire toward the firebreak suddenly changed direction, trying to force it back on itself. Over the roar of wind, Ember and Laine could be heard shouting orders to their fleet of Slowpokes, and a solid wall of water seemed to leap out of nowhere to drown out the fire. It fought, inching relentlessly forward, but the firebreak slowed it down. It hesitated there on the border, searching for more fuel, but it couldn't reach beyond the expanse of empty ground, not with the wind pushing at it. Meanwhile, water continued to pour down, sending up walls of steam. The fire hissed, as if in rage, slowly dwindling under the deluge. Gradually, the hissing subsided, until there was nothing left but a few weak orange flickers and wreaths of smoke. Sensing the worst of the danger had passed, Ember's Seadra went splashing through the puddles of mud, spurting jets of bubbles at the remaining hot spots. 

"Is it over?" asked Aurora, trying to peer through the hazy air. 

"Looks that way," Ember replied. "You would be the one who'd know for sure. Ask your birds." 

"Oh. Right. Scar!" 

The bird fluttered down, squawking exuberantly. Aurora grinned. 

"He says it's okay!" she shouted. "The fire's out!" 

"Awesome!" Laine squealed. "We are so cool!" 

The assembled Pokemon began jabbering happily to each other, celebrating their victory. Aurora hugged Scar until he squawked in protest, and Skarmory allowed himself to be kissed on the tip of his beak. Ember was less demonstrative, but his Pokemon seemed perfectly pleased with a smile and a few words of praise before being returned to their PokeBalls. Laine got a hug from her Machop, and for once, she didn't seem to mind. 

"Ya did a pretty good job," she told him. "Maybe I oughta give you a name. How 'bout I call you Casanova? I can call you Nova for short, an' it'll still sound cool." 

Aurora giggled as the Machop preened, seemingly flattered with his new name. 

"That's perfect," she said, looking speculatively at her own partners. "Hm. Maybe I ought to think about giving Skarmory a name. You wouldn't object to me calling you 'Rusty,' would you? It would remind me of how we met." 

She was half-afraid that the metal bird would be offended, but it seemed he had a sense of humor. He made a ringing noise, like a bell being struck, that sounded in her mind like laughter. 

_I accept,_ he said, provided that doesn't mean you think you can leave me this way. He fluttered his wings creakily, showing off the red-brown splotches. 

"Of course not," she hastened to assure him. "I'll get you cleaned up as soon as we get to Goldenrod City, so I can buy the supplies." 

"Such silliness, giving them names like that," said Ember. "They're not pets." 

"You gave yours a name," Aurora reminded him. "You said her name was Hope." 

Ember blushed. "Well... she's different." 

"Really? How?" 

He was saved from having to answer by the sound of approaching footsteps and voices. Turning toward the town, they could see a group of people moving through the forest. Aurora recognized Kurt and the two men from the Charcoal forge, as well as several others. 

"Elaine!" Kurt shouted, as soon as he caught sight of his granddaughter. "What on earth are you doing out here? You go running through the town stirring up every Pokemon for miles around, and then... what in blazes went on here?" he finished, stopping short at the edge of the firebreak. 

"A blaze," said Ember dryly. "Which you would have known about, if you'd been paying attention." 

"Don't talk to him like that! That's my grandfather," said Laine. "And he's a better guy than you, even if he _does_ wanna make me stay home and shell nuts." 

"A forest fire?" asked Kurt, looking around. "What possessed you to be in the woods during a forest fire? You could have been killed!" 

"We were safe," said Aurora. "Well, mostly. But we had Scar and Skarmory and Nova and Ember's Pokemon and, well... everyone, really." 

"A lot of good a few Pokemon would have done against a real wildfire!" 

"Actually, they did a lot of good," said Ember. "Just see for yourself." 

"What's going on here?" said a new voice, as a young man pushed his way to the front of the crowd. He was no older than Aurora and Laine, but he carried himself with authority, and the crowd parted for him respectfully. 

"Ah, Bugsy!" said Kurt. "I didn't know you were here." 

"I thought something had to be up when I saw all the Pokemon leaving town, so I got my things together and came to investigate," answered the boy. "What _has_ been happening? Whatever it was, it appears to have been very wet." 

In response, the girls went into an explanation telling of Ember's attack by the Rocket, the stolen Pokemon, the fire, and their plans to save it. The only thing they left out was Ember's involvement with the Rocket gang, making it sound as if he'd simply been in the wrong place at th wrong time. 

"We left the Rocket up in the tree," Aurora finished. "We didn't want to, but I don't guess he'll be coming down anytime soon. He thinks my Skarmory will bite him if he does." 

Bugsy grinned. "The police will take care of him. Don't worry, he'll get what's coming to him... but we ought to see about making sure you three get the same thing." 

"What?" asked Ember, looking nervous. 

"I didn't mean putting you in jail!" Bugsy laughed. "I meant, we need to make sure you get what you deserve. The forest might have burned to the ground if it hadn't been for your courage and quick thinking. Here." 

Reaching into a pocket, he took out three sparkling objects and held them out. 

"Badges?" asked Aurora. 

"They look real enough to me," said Ember, picking one up. 

"They are real," said Bugsy. "As far as I'm concerned, mastering a forest fire requires just as much skill as a Pokemon battle, or more. You all deserve Badges." 

"I don't know about that," said Laine uncertainly. "I was barely even here - I'm not a trainer..." 

"Take it," Aurora advised, taking one of her own. "It can't hurt you." 

"Oh, well, all right then," said Laine, taking the offered Badge. "Maybe it'll help me take care of this lunkhead Machop." 

"Chop, chop!" said Nova, as if he'd been paid a compliment. 

Meanwhile, the charcoal man and his apprentice were surveying the burnt part of the forest with dismay. 

"Well, this wood is ruined," said the charcoal man, "but the rest of the forest is safe, and I'm grateful for that. I'd like to do something to repay you three." 

"You don't have to do that," answered Aurora. "A Badge is more than enough repayment." 

"Are you sure?" asked Brad. "I could still give you that Charcoal." 

"It wouldn't do me any good," Aurora replied. "Give it to Ember. His Charmeleon will like it." 

"Oh," said Brad, looking disappointed. "I guess you're right." 

"Quit trying to impress the ladies," his boss said. "Though you're right, it would be fitting to give them something useful. How about this?" 

He offered Aurora a familiar looking box with a notch in it: a HM. She accepted it gratefully, storing it away in her Pokegear. 

"That's the Cut HM," he informed her. "You'll need it later when the terrain starts to get rough." 

"Thanks very much!" said Aurora. 

"What about me?" asked Laine, sounding indignant. "Don't I get something?" 

"Yes," said Kurt. "A nice long talking-to about jumping into dangerous situations!" 

"_Grandpa!_" she wailed. 

"None of that. Come on, Elaine. We're going to have a chat. Excuse us a minute," he said to Aurora and Ember. He latched on to his granddaughter's ear and began leading her away. The crowd, sensing a spectacle, followed behind, leaving Aurora and Ember standing alone in the forest. 

"Well," Ember offered after a while. "That was interesting, wasn't it?" 

"It was," Aurora agreed. "You know, you did pretty well. You're going to be a great leader someday." 

Ember gave her a quizzical look. "You think Rockets can be great leaders?" 

"I guess," said Aurora. "Falkner told me Giovanni is a great leader. He says that in his way, Giovanni actually does us all a favor by keeping the Rockets in line." 

"You really admire Falkner, don't you?" 

Aurora nodded. 

"Why?" asked Ember. "I thought you were most interested in the best and the brightest. Why else the obsession with being apprenticed to Clair? Falkner is the most junior of all the Gym Leaders, as far as respect goes. Beginning trainers beat him all the time." 

"That's because he holds back for them," Aurora replies. "He keeps a few low-level Pokemon to compete with new trainers, but he raises more powerful ones, too. He showed me his aviary - he's got a Xatu and a Fearow in there! But that's not why I admire him. See, I grew up in Goldenrod City. You know about that place, right?" 

Ember nodded. "A favorite base of operations. You wouldn't believe some of the things that are hidden below your feet there... but go on." 

"Yeah, you don't have to tell me about the Rockets. I know. I've seen them. I know what happens to the Pokemon they use. It just made me sick to see the poor things... there's nothing I hate more than a trainer who mistreats their Pokemon, and nothing I admire more than one who can treat them like friends and partners. Falkner understands that. He understands a lot of things, I think - about Pokemon _and_ Humans. And he believes in me. That's worth a lot." 

"It is," Ember agreed. Very softly, he added, "I could envy you for that." 

"What do you mean?" 

"You have someone to support you. I don't have anyone. Maybe my uncle, but he doesn't really understand. He seems to think I can inherit respect - that people will look up to me just because I'm his nephew. He does things like giving me that Aerodactyl, putting me in command of things I'm just not ready to control. But even if he could make people respect me, I wouldn't want him to. I want people to respect me for what I'm worth, not for the sake of someone who has nothing to do with me." 

"So that's why you ran away?" Aurora asked. 

Ember nodded. "If I can master the Gym Challenge, then people will know I'm more than just a spoiled little boy that Giovanni's taken a liking to. If today taught me one thing, it's that not even my uncle is powerful enough to make his minions respect someone. I want to prove _I'm_ powerful enough to make them respect me." 

"Well, I respect you," said Aurora. 

"Yes, because your precious Falkner said so." 

"No," said Aurora. "I respected you before I even met Falkner. I knew when I met you that you were someone powerful. Falkner just told me what I already knew. And you showed me again today that I was right. You've got everything it takes to make a great trainer." 

"You're lying to me," said Ember. "The only times we met before you met Falkner was when you made a fool of me back in the caves." 

"It wasn't your fault you lost. We ganged up on you. You did just fine in a fair fight," said Aurora. "You know what I told Laine after we escaped? I told her I was glad to have met you, because every great trainer needs a great rival." 

"Rivals, hm?" Ember repeated. "Is that what we are? I'd wondered. All right, if every great trainer needs a rival, and since I intend to be great, then it stands to reason that I need a rival of my own. To be properly villainous, I suppose I should say it's a pity I have to settle for a little girl like you, but... somehow, I don't think I shall be underestimating you again after today. Very well, then. Here's to a long and profitable rivalry." He offered his hand to shake, and Aurora took it gravely. 

"So," said Aurora, "will you be heading to Goldenrod City soon?" 

Ember gave her his enigmatic smile. "If you think I'm going to be traveling with you, you've got another think coming. Rivals travel separately, and then meet to have dramatic battles once in a while. Besides, I'm not walking anywhere for a while, not with this bad leg. You'll just have to make do without a rival until I've healed up a bit." 

"Ah," said Aurora. 

"Yes," said Ember, "and I think I've been sociable enough for one day. So long, Winter- Hair. I'll catch up to you in Ecruteak." 

"I'll be waiting for you. See you around, Fire-Top." 

Ember waved a casual goodbye and walked as gracefully as he could back towards town, vanishing into the trees. Aurora decided she might as well let him go - after all, he'd promised he'd come back soon, so she simply sat and thought for a while. After a few minutes had passed, Laine returned, grinning from ear to ear. Aurora noticed a couple of subtle changes: her friend now had her Badge pinned proudly to her shirt, and there was a pair of PokeBalls clipped to her belt. 

"Let me guess," said Aurora. "You won the argument." 

"Yup!" Laine replied. "I think I've finally got him convinced I'm not gonna go out an' get myself killed. Actually, I think he just figured out I wasn't going to let _him_ win, so he gave up. Went around muttering about how I'm my dad's kid, which is okay by me. I wouldn' wanna be anyone else's kid, would I? But 'Rora, I'm finally gettin' outta this town and seein' things again! Ain't it great?" 

"Yeah, that's wonderful," said Aurora, grinning back. 

"Hey, where'd the wonder boy go?" Laine asked. "Don' tell me he skipped out again." 

"He did," Aurora replied, "but he promised he'd meet us again in Ecruteak Town." 

"Oh, he did?" Laine repeated. "What would he want to do that for, huh?" 

"Because we're rivals. Why else?" answered Aurora. "But if I keep talking to him, maybe one of these days he'll figure out we can be friends, too." 

"Friends?" Laine repeated. "Now, wait just a cotton-pickin' minute there. When did this happen? I guess reminding you what he is won't help." 

"What, that he's a Rocket?" Aurora replied. "I don't think that's really what he is. I think he's more like Scar, in a way." 

"Spear?" Scar inquired. 

"Don't act all insulted!" Aurora replied. "He's got the wrong person training him right now. What he really needs is a good influence." 

"What you really need is a good head-shrinker," Laine replied. "You're nuts, talkin' about that guy like he's some kinda charity case." 

"He's not that bad!" Aurora replied. "You just need to talk to him some." 

"Well, we're not gonna do it here," said Laine. "If he said he'd see you again in Ecruteak, then we wanna get there as fast as possible, right? And now that I've got permission to be goin' places, let's get goin'!" 

Aurora grinned. "All right, you win! Let's see if we can get out of this forest before nightfall." 

"Now you're talkin'!" Laine agreed. 

So the two of them began their journey again, following the trail deeper into the forest. 

Meanwhile, Ember was leaving the forest, on his way back into the town, walking slowly to spare his sore leg. He was just wondering if it would be worth the indignity of releasing his Charmeleon so he'd have something to lean on, when his phone rang. He looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then decided it would be better not to take chances. He darted off the trail and into the deeper shadows. 

"Hello?" he answered impatiently. 

"Hello, Ember," answered a cold female voice. "My Dragonite tells me you attacked it today." 

"I was within my rights," answered Ember, turning on some frost of his own. 

"That's what you think. Your uncle has been entirely to lenient with you. I think it's time you learned some discipline." 

"I could say the same for you, Clair. What was the idea of sending out that Dragonite at all? I've seen it twice in the last two days, so you can't tell me no one else did. You're supposed to be covering for Team Rocket. That means you're supposed to be discreet, not letting your dragons turn up under every rock and bush." 

"I hardly think one dragon could be under every rock and bush." 

"No, but he's hardly inconspicuous. I'd have thought the last thing the illustrious Dragon Master would have wanted would to have anyone find out what she's up to. Do you really want to be traced back to us? We certainly don't want to have you traced to us. I'm going to have to tell my uncle about this if it keeps up - and if he doesn't already know." 

"Giovanni can stay out of this. It has nothing to do with him or his Rockets. It's a private matter." 

"Then keep it private," Ember snapped. "If I see another of your dragons running around, I'm going to report it." 

"You'll do no such thing," she replied. "It has nothing to do with you either. As a matter of fact, you should even approve of it." 

"I don't approve of anything you do, and you know it." 

"Oh, but this is different," she answered. "If you must know, I'm keeping an eye on that white-haired girl, the one who spoiled your game in Azalea Town." 

"What for?" 

"No reason. Call it a premonition," Clair replied. "She worries me, that's all. I don't want to see her take it into her head that she can derail people's plans whenever she feels like it, so I'm watching her. If she looks like she intends to make trouble..." 

"What?" 

"I'll stop her." 

"Stop her _how_?" 

"By whatever means I deem necessary," she answered. "Why are you worried. The girl is your enemy, too, isn't she?" 

"She's my rival," Ember answered, "and she's not your enemy. She admires you. She's not going to do anything against you." 

"Be that as it may, I'm going to watch her," Clair replied. 

"You're a paranoid." 

"And you're annoying. If I catch you interfering in my business again, I will make sure my Dragonite knows he has my permission to do whatever it takes to stop you." 

"Indeed. And I'll make sure Uncle Giovanni knows you've been threatening me." 

"Not without letting him know where you've run away to. He's in quite a state. He won't be happy with you when you come home." 

"When I come home, I'll have the Badges of Johto - Kanto too, maybe. He won't mind me coming home then." 

"Perhaps. But until then..." 

"Until then, I can take care of myself. Even against you." 

"You shouldn't have to," said Clair. "Just stay out of my way and let me do as I please." 

Ember hesitated. "All right. I can see I have no choice... right now. Later, I promise, things will be different." 

"You don't like me, do you, Ember? Why not? Your uncle never had a problem with me." 

"My uncle is old enough to be led around by a beautiful woman, and conceited enough to believe he isn't. I'm glad I'm young enough to know better. I can look at you objectively, and see that there are men among my Rocket gang that have more honor than you, and people with scarcely two Badges to their names who are better trainers. Why should I want anything to do with you?" 

"Because I make a very bad enemy," Clair replied. "Goodbye, Ember." 

There was a click as she hung up. Ember sighed and folded his own telephone shut. 

"Well," he said. "This looks ominous, doesn't it? Well, my rival, I hope you're as worthy as I think you are, because I'm not going to be able to bail you out of this. For now, you're on your own." 

He shrugged and walked back to the path. If there was nothing he could do, there was no point in worrying. Fighting a limp, he trudged back to town, lingering a moment to look at a Slowpoke on the side of the road, snoozing on the soft grass. It yawned widely as he passed, and memory of the legend made him look up. Sure enough, dark clouds were rolling in. 

*_Yes,_* he thought, with grim satisfaction, *_we are definitely going to have a storm..._* 


	5. Stage Five - Eevees at Sunset

**

Stage Five: Eevees at Sunset

**

**

By: SilvorMoon

**

It had all the makings of a glorious day, and inside, Aurora felt a stir of relief. It had rained the night she and Laine had left Azalea Town, soaking them both thoroughly and making poor Scar look like a well-used mop in his bedraggled feathers. They had finally been able to take refuge in a Pokemon Center by the side of the road, gratefully spending the evening huddling close to a fire and enjoying bowls of hot stew. Even so, Aurora's long tresses still felt slightly damp as they set out the next morning, and as much as she knew they'd needed the rain, she was still inwardly pleased that she didn't have to get soaked again. 

"Would ya hurry it up already?" called Laine from further up the road. "My Slowpoke walks faster'n you!" 

"Turnabout is fair play," answered Aurora. "You didn't want to go back to your house in a hurry, remember?" 

"What? Ya expectin' to pick a fight with your folks?" asked Laine. 

"Well, not exactly," Aurora replied. "Actually, it might be kind of interesting. Dad seemed to think I'd get beaten at the first Gym." 

"Then let's go prove him wrong," Laine replied. "Come on! I wanna see the city!" 

Aurora obligingly picked up the pace a bit. Having been given permission to travel had done wonders for Laine's energy level; she probably could have easily run a marathon today. She seemed particularly eager for a glimpse of Aurora's home town. From what Aurora had gathered, she'd spent most of her life either in the tiny town of Azalea or wandering the wilderness, and big cities like Goldenrod were a novelty to her. She'd spent the previous evening drilling her friend for information about everything from Aurora's family's shop to the grand Goldenrod Department Store. Clearly, though, stories weren't good enough - Laine liked to see things for herself. Aurora trotted up to the top of a hill, where her friend had paused to stare off into the distance. From that vantage point, something sparkly could be seen in the distance. 

"Is that it?" asked Laine. 

"I think so. Let me check," answered Aurora. She flipped on her PokeGear and made a quick map reference. "Yeah, that's it. Home sweet home." 

"Wow," Laine replied. Even from a distance, the skyscrapers could be seen reaching for the heavens like the towers of a fairy-tale castle, gleaming golden in the strong morning sunshine. 

Aurora grinned in spite of herself. "Wait until you see it up close!" 

"I don' wanna wait," Laine answered. "I wanna get movin' again!" 

The clock was just creeping up on noon as the girls made it to the booth of the gatekeeper who watched the southern gate to Goldenrod. Aurora recognized him as the same gatekeeper she'd passed when she'd left home a few days ago. 

"Hi!" she called. "I'm back!" 

"Hm?" The man stared at her, adjusting his glasses. "Oh! I remember you - the young lady going to Blackthorn. How was the trip?" 

"It's been interesting," she answered. 

"So, on your way home now?" 

"For a little while. I'm in serious training now," Aurora replied, and Scar squawked an agreement. 

"Training, hm? Going to be challenging Whitney?" he asked. "Well, good luck to both of you!" 

"Why would he wish good luck to you and Whitney?" asked Laine as they passed through the gate. 

"I think he was talking to the two of us," Aurora answered. "You are in training now, aren't you?" 

"Who, me? No way!" answered Laine. 

"Why not?" asked Aurora. "You've got a Badge now, and Nova. He could probably take on Whitney any day of the week. She only trains Normal types, so he would have the advantage." 

"I told ya already, I'm not a trainer," Laine answered stubbornly. "I'm a researcher." 

"Who says you can't be both?" Aurora countered. 

"Me," Laine answered. "I know what I'm doin', so don' bug me about it." 

"All right, all right! Don't bite my head off!" 

What might have been an argument was headed off as Aurora shoved the door of the gatehouse open to reveal the city beyond. Laine stopped and stared. 

"Wow," she said. "It's a lot bigger than it looked in the pictures. ... So, which one is your place?" 

"That's a little further on," Aurora replied. "Look! There's the Goldenrod Department Store! We've got to go there before we leave - there's nothing else like it in all of Johto." 

"Cool!" Laine enthused. "I wanna go there first! Hey, I heard those places will buy stuff from trainers. D'you think they'd buy a few of my PokeBalls?" 

"Let's go ask," answered Aurora. 

They headed for the store. Aurora, serious about her training, headed directly for the front desks to make inquiries about the prices of PokeBalls and Potions. Laine hadn't brought much money with her, but she managed to haggle with a teller and get a good price for a number of her multicolored custom Balls, and she spent several minutes browsing the aisles, searching for ways to spend her newfound fortune. She'd never seen a store that offered such oddities as custom clothing and exercise equipment for Pokemon. She bought a set of training grips for Nova. 

Aurora, too, had to admit she was impressed by the number of things available. Having never been a trainer before, and being busy with work and school, she hadn't been a frequent visitor to the department store. Now she herself was amazed at all she'd been missing. She wandered in an aisle of health products, gazing at the shelves of lotions, shampoos, files, hairbrushes, and other odd things that she couldn't even identify. Her gaze fell on a box, and she pulled it out to get a closer look, hoping it was what she thought it was. 

She was not disappointed. What she'd found was a care kit for Flying-type Pokemon, complete with clippers for trimming talons, files for beaks, materials for imping feathers - everything that could possibly be wanted for keeping her bird friends in the peak of condition. There was even a bottle of oil she could use for tending to her poor Skarmory. Scar watched her as she studied the box. He wasn't saying anything, but she could read his expression well enough: he knew what was in that box, and how much good it would do him. Aurora flipped over the box, checking the price sticker - and winced. The price was over a thousand coins, more than she'd ever paid for anything in her life. Still... she did have a responsibility to Scar and Rusty to take care of them. As a trainer, that was the first thing she always had to consider. She set the box down and checked her purse, counting out coins. There was just barely enough. 

"What do you think, Scar?" she asked. "Do we need this that badly?" 

"Spear." 

"Well, that doesn't tell me much." 

"What's going on?" asked Laine, trotting over to join them, carrying a few shopping bags. 

"This," answered Aurora, showing off the box. "I'm trying to decide whether I should get it or not." 

"Do you need it?" 

"Yeah." 

"Can you afford it?" 

"Well... I won't have much left if I buy it." 

"What else do you need?" 

"Good point." 

A few minutes later, both of them left the store with their purses considerably lighter, Laine trying to stuff her shopping bags into her pack and Aurora proudly carrying the kit under one arm. 

"Where to now?" asked Laine. "We spent all our money, so it's no good going shopping again." 

"Well... I guess I should check up on Mom and Dad," said Aurora. "And I promised my little brother I'd let him see my Badges." 

"You didn't tell me you had a little brother," Laine said. 

"Well, now I have. Hm." She glanced at her watch. "They should be at the store right now. That's good. We won't expect me to stay for dinner or something." 

They walked up the streets of the city (Laine took out her camera to take some photos of the buildings) until they had entered a section of the city where the skyscrapers had given way to apartment buildings and modest storefronts. Aurora walked up to one advertising PokeGear sale and repair and swung the door open, making a bell chime musically. 

"Hey! You've got customers!" she shouted. 

There was a sound of someone yelping in surprise. Then... 

"Aurora!" 

With a rush, a boy ran out from behind the counter to run up and hug his big sister. 

"Hi, Davey! Did you miss me?" 

"Did I ever! ... Well, maybe a little," answered Davey. "Where have you been? Are you going to come home now? Did you win any Badges?" 

"What's all this commotion?" came a voice from the back of the shop. Aurora's father appeared from a back room, stopping short as he spied his daughter in the doorway. "Aurora! So you've come back." 

"Just for a little while," she said, with a warning note in her voice. "I'm passing through on my way to Whitney's Gym, and I thought I would stop in and say hi." 

"I see," answered her father, raising one eyebrow. "And you still have your Pokemon with you?" 

"Yes," she answered. "He's a great Pokemon. Falkner himself complimented me on him, and he should know birds if anyone does." 

"I see," he said again, as if he wasn't sure he believed her. "So you went ahead taking the Gym Challenge, then? I was under the impression you wanted to be apprenticed to Clair." 

"I do," she answered, feeling suddenly on the spot. "I will be." 

"She will," said Laine, coming to the rescue. "Clair said she just needs to get the rest of the Badges first. Once she does that, she's goin' back to Blackthorn." 

"Really? Way cool!" Davey enthused. "So have you got Badges now? Can I see them?" 

"Sure," said Aurora. She unpinned the badges from the hem of her shirt so Davey could look at them, but her mind was concerned with what her father had just said. He was right, after all - she _had_ left home with the intent of becoming Clair's apprentice. How far had she come since then? Two Badges, one that had only been given to her without so much as a proper battle. She still had a long way to go... 

*_She shouldn't have turned me down at all,_* she thought rebelliously. *_Scar is a good Pokemon... and I'm a good trainer! Everyone says so but her! Why do I have to go through with all of this, anyway?_* 

And then something else occurred to her, something she hadn't considered before. Laine had implied that there had been an agreement - Aurora would be made a junior trainer as soon as she collected all the required Badges. But there had never been such an agreement. Clair had only said that she might consider taking Aurora, not that she actually would. What if, after all that trouble, Aurora showed up with her Badges only to be told that she still didn't have what it took? What if she never got accepted? Then what? 

"Somethin' on your mind, 'Rora?" Laine asked. 

"Oh, nothing," answered Aurora. "Just thinking." 

"Okay. If you say so," Laine replied. She was looking around the shop. "These things are actually pretty cool. Do you think your parents would sell me one?" 

"I thought you didn't want to be a trainer. These are trainer's tools." 

"Well, they're also a handy way of carryin' things. Better than this dumb bag," said Laine, scowling at her duffel bag. 

"Are you interested in purchasing some PokeGear?" asked Aurora's father. "If you just want something simple, I can get you a very good price on a used one..." 

"Really? I could maybe go for that." 

Aurora half-listened as Laine engaged in a round of bargaining. Something was starting to gnaw at the back of her mind, and she didn't think she liked the feel of it. 

They stayed at the shop for a half an hour, with the two of them retelling their adventures (an edited version that left out a lot about Ember) for Aurora's family. It ended with Aurora collecting her Badges from her brother, promising to come back as soon as she had the complete set. Laine left carrying a cheap used PokeGear, slightly dented but otherwise sound. 

"That was kinda fun," she said, strapping the device onto her wrist. 

"Yeah, I guess," answered Aurora. 

"You don' sound that enthused. What's up?" 

"I was just thinking," she answered. "What if I'm wasting my time? I mean, Clair never promised me anything. I could be just running around for no reason. She might decide not to take me on no matter what I do. What do I do then?" 

"Kick her butt," Laine suggested. 

"What?" 

"She's a Gym Leader. If she doesn' want to take you on, just challenge her to a battle, kick her butt, and move on. If you can't prove you're as good as her, prove you're better. Go take on the Elite Four. Go to the Gyms in Kanto. Do whatever you want. The world doesn' begin and end with Clair." 

"How do you know?" 

Laine gave her an odd look. "How do I know? Girl, I've been a few places you haven't. There's a lot out there." 

"Maybe for you," said Aurora. "But this is my dream, the only real one I've ever had. I don't want to lose it." 

Laine opened her mouth to say something - and changed her mind and said something else. Stopping short, she pointed and said, "What does that sign say?" 

"Huh?" 

"Tell me it says what I think it says." 

It was Aurora's turn to give Laine a strange look. "That's just the sign for Bill's house. What's so special about that?" 

"You mean, the Bill who's the famous Pokemon researcher? That Bill?" 

"Yeah. Why?" 

"Why? What do you mean, why?" Laine shouted. "His Pokemon collection is world- famous! Can we go see him? Can we? I mean, he does allow visitors, right?" 

"Well, yeah, sure," said Aurora, a little surprised at the outburst. "He's pretty nice. He comes in our shop all the time. Do you want to meet him? ... Okay, dumb question," she added, catching the look on Laine's face. "Okay. It's not really like we're in a big hurry." 

"Thank you!" said Laine, impulsively hugging her friend. "I'll owe you for this!" 

Following the sign led to a modest little house on the outskirts of the town. Laine had been thrown into a state of silent excitement, but Aurora strolled confidently up to the front door and knocked. It was opened a moment later by a smiling man in an entirely unscientific outfit of jeans and a t-shirt. 

"Ah, hello! Miss Cummings, I believe?" he said to Aurora. 

"Yes, sir," she answered. "I have a friend here who wanted to meet you. You aren't busy, are you?" 

"I'm never too busy for visitors," he answered. "And is this your friend? What's her name? She looks vaguely familiar, but I can't place her." 

"Elaine Harvester, sir," answered Laine. Aurora noticed she was using her full name now, and that her drawling accent seemed to have vanished suddenly. 

"Harvester, Harvester..." Bill muttered. "Any relation to Marcus Harvester?" 

"He was my father, sir," Laine replied. 

"Ah, yes, now I see! Yes, the resemblance is quite clear," said Bill. "I met your father on several occasions. An admirable man. You were with him for some of his studies, weren't you? I'm sure I remember him saying something about that." 

"Yes, sir," answered Laine, looking a bit more at ease. "I've been trying to continue his work. I have a lot of my notes here with me." 

"I'd like to have a look at them," said Bill. "Here, why don't you two come in and have a look around? I have some things in here I think you'd both enjoy seeing." 

The girls allowed themselves to be ushered inside. They found themselves standing in a comfortable sitting room, but they didn't get to stand there for long. He led them through a side door, from which came interesting sounds of yapping and barking. 

"I've been doing some experiments lately," he said. "Do you girls know much about Eevees?" 

"A little bit," said Aurora. 

"They're experimental Pokemon, aren't they?" asked Laine. "Something from a genetic experiment. I don't think you can find them in the wild." 

Bill nodded. "Very seldom. Eevees have unstable genetics that makes it difficult for them to breed in the wild. The problem, up until now, has been that no one has been able to come up with a female Eevee." 

"Until now?" Aurora repeated. 

"Until now," Bill agreed. 

He pushed open the door. In the room beyond were several pens, each containing a single Eevee or one of its evolutions. A Vaporeon splashed happily in a tub; an Esperon slept in a puddle of sunlight; a fluffy Flareon was preening its fur. However, most interesting of all was a simple Eevee in a particularly large and well-appointed pen, surrounded by a number of small chirping fluffballs. 

"Babies!" Laine squeaked, forgetting for the moment to be formal. 

"That's right," answered Bill proudly. "You're looking at the first ever naturally born Eevee pups." 

"They're so cute!" Laine gushed. She went to kneel next to the pen, putting her fingers through the mesh. One of the pups came up to sniff her fingers. Aurora joined her. She had to admit, the pups were cute. All of them looked healthy and bright-eyed, tumbling around on the carpeted floor, tussling with each other. One trotted up and licked her fingers. 

"Eventually, I hope to start a colony of Eevees in the wild," Bill continued. He appeared to be talking mainly to Laine. "I think it's the kind of project your father would have approved of." 

"It is," she said. "Dad never liked to see Pokemon cooped up indoors... I mean..." She looked around at the pens and blushed. 

Bill laughed. "Don't worry. These are only temporary conditions. Most of these will be given to trainers after a few more weeks of study. Only the little mother here is going to be kept for further study. I do plan to release the puppies to be trained, though. I need to see how they'll react to that life, and the only way to do that is to actually give them to trainers... Would you two like one?" 

"What?" both girls exclaimed at once. 

"There's no reason why not. The puppies are old enough to be without their mother now. I know Miss Cummings well enough to trust her to take care of one, and I can't imagine any daughter of Marcus Harvester not knowing how to raise a Pokemon. And they seem to like you. That's important with Eevees." 

"That's right," said Aurora vaguely. "They won't evolve if they don't trust you... unless you force them..." 

"Which I'd prefer you not do," said Bill. "I can always induce evolution here in the lab. It takes training to make them evolve naturally." 

"I can do that," said Aurora. 

"Me too," Laine agreed. 

"Excellent!" said Bill. "Pick one out you like... or one that likes you... and take it with you when you go. And now, about those notes..." 

"Oh, those! They're right here," said Laine, digging through her bag. 

Aurora sighed a bit as Laine and Bill left, deep in discussion of various Pokemon and their habits. The Eevee that had taken a liking to her cuddled her fingers, as if to comfort her. She lifted it out of the pen, and it barked happily and licked her face. 

"I guess you like me, huh?" she asked. "Well, that's good to know. I don't guess you ever get to feeling left out what with all those brothers and sisters around, do you?" 

"Eevee," it crooned, nuzzling her. 

Aurora giggled a little. If she was going to be left out, at least she'd have some good company. 

It took almost an hour for Laine to wrap up her conversation with Bill. Aurora passed the time looking at the Pokemon in the lab and getting acquainted with her new Eevee. Everywhere she went, it trotted along at her heels, chattering and yipping as if happy to finally be out of the pen. Scar didn't appear impressed by her; he kept trying to nip the end of her fluffy tail, making her yelp. Aurora had to scold him, and he spent several minutes sulking. Finally, Laine came back, looking excited, still scribbling notes in her book. 

"Hey, Rora, what are ya doin' in here?" she said. "Ya missed a good conversation." 

"I was getting to know my Eevee," she answered. "Besides, I thought you would have more fun on your own." 

Laine shrugged. "Whatever! Anyway, Bill's got an appointment somewhere, so we've gotta get goin'. Besides, isn't there a Gym you wanted to go to?" 

"Right," Aurora agreed. "I think I'm about ready to have the fight and get it done." 

"Y'know, I was thinkin'," said Laine, looking speculative, "you know what you were saying about me being a trainer?" 

"Yeah...?" 

"Do you really think I could do it?" 

"Well..." 

"Seriously, now. I don' want you tell me I can if I can't. Tell me straight." 

Aurora frowned, thinking. Finally she said, "Well, if you wanted to challenge Whitney, you could probably manage. She only uses Normal types, and Nova would have the type advantage." 

"Awesome," said Laine, grinning. "I think I'll do it." 

"Oh," said Aurora. 

"So where's this Gym already? I wanna go now before I lose my nerve," Laine continued. 

Aurora nodded and escorted her friend out of the little house, leading her towards the far end of the town and the Gym. She was quiet during the walk there, but Laine seemed to have her thoughts elsewhere, and didn't notice that her friend wasn't answering as she chattered away about how nice Bill had been to her and how much she'd learned from him. That kind of talk kept up all the way to the Gym doors, where they paused for a moment. Laine stared, duly impressed. 

"Whose idea was it to paint the Gym pink?" she asked. 

"Whitney's," Aurora answered. "She's... something else." 

"Cool," said Laine. "Maybe I _can_ do this! Will you wait for me, Rora? I know if I see you fightin' her, I'll chicken out, and I don' wanna have you see me make a fool of myself." 

"Oh, um... sure," said Aurora. 

"Thanks. Wish me luck!" 

With that, she scooted through the door, waving goodbye before it closed behind her. 

"There she goes again," Aurora sighed. Scar croaked sympathetically, and Aurora ruffled his feathers. 

They sat and waited some more. Aurora was getting very frustrated. She'd known all along that coming home was a bad idea. She wished she could get out of there right in that moment, go somewhere else - Ecruteak, Mahogany, somewhere, anywhere - somewhere she wouldn't have to be sitting on a doorstep waiting to see if Laine would win a fight or not. She had a brief vision of just getting up and walking away without her. 

*_But wait - why would I want to do that?_* she asked herself. *_Laine's my friend. I don't want to leave her... but..._* 

The door opened, and Laine stepped out. Her Eevee was behind her, yipping excitedly. 

"Back so soon?" asked Aurora. 

"Yep!" said Laine, flashing a silvery circle pin in the late afternoon sunlight. "That was easy! Nova totally rocked. That girl's Miltank tried to put some moves on him or something, but he said he only likes me and put her lights out. Then the girl started crying, but one of her trainers made her shut up. I can see why you like this trainer stuff, Rora. It's kinda fun." 

"Well, that's just great. I'm glad you're proud of yourself," said Aurora. "You think you're really special, don't you?" 

"Sheesh, what's gotten into you?" 

"I'm tired of you showing off, that's what!" 

"Showing off? I'm not showing off!" 

"Yes you are! You've been doing it all day long, and it's been driving me crazy!" 

"Hey, wait just one minute!" said Laine, beginning to flush. "I don't know where you get off sayin' that, but you're the one with the attitude problem! I woulda thought a real friend woulda been happy if her friend won her first Gym battle." 

"Oh, I'm supposed to be happy? 'Look at me, I'm so cool!' Give me a break. You win one battle and you think you're all that." 

"Oh? And you win two and think you are?" 

"Ya know what?" said Laine. "I think you're just jealous! You wanna be the big bad wonder-trainer. You go around beggin' to be given dragons and whine and cry when you don' get any. You don' want me to be your friend; you just want me to follow you around an' take care of you! Well, forget it! I don' have to put up with this! I can take care of myself. All by myself! I'm fine by myself!" 

With that, she turned and ran away, her Eevee scurrying behind, whimpering. Aurora stared. Tears weren't something she associated with Laine, but there was no denying that she was now crying as she ran. Aurora was still for a moment, unsure what move to make. Scar bit her hand. 

"Ow!" she yelped. She looked down at the wounded appendage. His sharp beak had left a small pinprick on the back of her hand, a drop of blood slowly welling up. "What'd you do that for?" 

"Spear, spear, spearow, spearow," he scolded. 

"What do you mean, I'm not being fair?" 

"Spearow, spearow, spear." He glared at her, clicking his beak menacingly. 

Aurora sighed. "Okay, maybe I was a little harsh with her." 

"Spear!" 

"All right, all right! None of it was true," she said hastily. She shook her head. "I really blew it this time, didn't I Scar?" 

"Spear." 

"Well, thanks a lot!" She sighed sadly. "How do I get into these messes? What do I do now?" 

"Eevee, eevee, eevee." 

"Look for her?" Aurora repeated. She was a little surprised that the Eevee was speaking to her directly; not only had it not done so before, but the way the words came across in her mind was different from the way she was used to hearing Scar or Rusty, or even the Farfetch'd in Azalea. She supposed it was because this Pokemon wasn't a bird. "How am I supposed to find her? This is a huge city; she could have gone anywhere. Besides, she's not going to be really thrilled to see me again, not after what I just said." 

In reply, the Eevee hopped a few paces ahead, sniffed the ground, and then scampered ahead a bit more. She paused and looked back at Aurora, clearly asking why she wasn't following it. Resigning herself to a chase, Aurora began to follow. 

*_What did I have to go and lose my temper for_* she scolded herself. *_I didn't mean any of it. Laine hasn't done anything wrong. What am I so angry at? I've been out of sorts ever since I talked to my dad... why did I take it out on Laine?_* 

The Eevee led her to the far side of the city. By the time they reached the gatehouse, it was nearing evening, with the sun turning the sky pink and orange near the horizon, and Aurora was exhausted from running after the speedy Pokemon. Panting for air and clutching a stitch in her side, she staggered up to the counter, where the guard looked at her curiously. 

"Are you all right, miss?" he asked, looking at her disheveled and distressed appearance. 

"I'm fine," she said. "Please, can you tell me, has a girl been by here? She's about my age, a little shorter than me, dark hair and dark eyes, probably traveling with an Eevee?" 

"Yes, she passed by not long ago," the guard answered. "Why-?" 

No answer. Aurora was gone again, running out the door. Her feet passed from the tiled floor of the gatehouse to the soft sand of a trail. The Eevee hesitated a moment, sniffing over the sand with a puzzled expression, and Aurora felt a lurch of worry; what if the wind had blown away the scent, and they couldn't find her again? Then Eevee gave a yip of victory and scampered off again, running through the grass that was nearly as tall as she was, and Aurora had to watch carefully to avoid losing her. They ran through a stand of trees and past some bushes. Finally, they came to the bottom of a tall hill. Looking up, she could see a huddled figure sitting on the peak, looking back over the city. Relief flooded over Aurora, and she began dashing up the slope with her Pokemon fluttering and stumbling behind. 

"Laine! There you are!" she called. 

Laine raised her head a few centimeters, just enough to glare at her. "Go away." 

"But, Laine-" 

"I said go away. Leave me alone." 

Aurora didn't say anything. Laine just sat, staring down at the city that spread out below them, sparkling in the sunset. Her own Eevee sat at her feet, its chin on its paws, its bright black eyes fixed on the horizon. Aurora walked a few feet away and sat down on the other side of the hill, looking out at the trees. A thin crescent moon was rising above them, pale against the dark blue sky. A few minutes of silence went by. Scar stood on the crown of the hill, looking from one girl to the other, waiting to see if they were going to do anything. When they didn't, he hopped over to Aurora's side and nudged her. She sighed. 

"I am sorry, you know," she said. "I didn't mean what I said. I was just so angry..." 

Laine said nothing. 

"I know, I know, I shouldn't have gotten mad at you," Aurora continued. "It was just so frustrating! I went all that way to find Clair, after waiting all my life just to meet me, and she treats me like scum. Then you go and meet Bill, and it's, 'Come right in! Come look at my projects! Have one of my Pokemon! Let me help you with your project!' And maybe I could have handled that. I mean, I've gotten used to you being the researcher; I don't really think I would have been interested in whatever Bill does. But then you went and you beat Whitney, too, and that hurt. Training is what I'm supposed to do, and I was so proud that I was doing well. Then you went in there and took out a strong Gym Leader in five minutes flat and saying it was so easy... All this time I was thinking I had some talent, but if anyone can do it, then what does that make me?" 

"An idealistic dreamer with her head in the clouds," said Laine. 

Aurora hung her head. "I know." 

"You'd have to be, to go out with one broken-down old Pokemon and think you're going to going to become a Dragon Master. You'd have to be to think you could climb Sprout Tower and talk down a rampaging Skarmory. Or fight off a forest fire with just a couple of friends and a handful of Pokemon. Or make a friend out of one of the most poweful Rockets in Johto." 

"Yeah." 

"But you did climb the tower and catch your Skarmory and fight the fire and all that," said Laine. "And you're gonna be a Dragon Master someday, too, 'cause they say training dragons is all about spirit, and you've got more of that than anyone I've ever met." 

Aurora looked up, stunned. 

"You mean it?" 

"Sure I mean it," said Laine. "And while I'm at it, I accept your apology. After all, you idealistic dreamer types need someone to keep your feet on the ground. Just remember to watch your mouth next time!" 

"I will. I promise!" Aurora replied. "You're a good friend, Laine. I don't want to go through this without you." 

"You're all right most of the time yourself," answered Laine. "You know... I only wanted to fight Whitney 'cause I knew you were going to. I kinda wanted to share it with you, ya know? So we could do something together instead of us always just doin' our own thing. I'm never gonna be as great a trainer as you." 

"You're going to be great at what you do," said Aurora. "Every bit as great as your father, I'll bet. He was great, wasn't he?" 

Laine grinned her old manic grin. "The best - and don't you forget it!" 

"How could I? Seems like everyone has something to say about him." 

"Yeah... hey, d'you wanna see my parents? I got to meet your dad; you oughta see mine." 

"How do I do that?" 

"Hang on a sec, and I'll show ya." 

Laine went rummaging through her duffel bag, and her Eevee sat up to watch, eyes shining with curiosity. From within its capacious depths, she brought out a small cloth bundle. Removing the cloths revealed a framed photograph. Laine passed it reverently to Aurora, who took it and studied it. 

The picture showed a man and a woman, their arms around each other, smiling for the camera. The woman was slender and ephemeral-looking, her pale brown hair falling in curtains around a wide-eyed, pixy-like face. Her smile was gentle. The man beside her was a striking contrast, broad-shoulders and robust, with a ruddy face and a familiar careless grin, with the same dark hair and eyes as his daughter. 

"That was taken right after Mom and Dad got married," Laine informed her. "Isn't Mom beautiful? I wish I was beautiful. I can do cute on a good day, but I'll never be beautiful. I look too much like my dad." 

Aurora agreed mentally that the woman in the picture was very beautiful. She couldn't quite put her finger on how, but there was a kindness that shone through her even through the photograph. 

"They look so happy together," she murmured. 

"They were," said Laine. "At least, I think so. I wasn't there. But from what I always heard from Dad and Grandpa, they really were in love with each other. Grandpa didn't really want Dad to marry Mom, but they got married anyway. They really must have loved each other to do that." She took the picture back, staring at it, her eyes distant. "Mom wasn't very strong. She was always getting sick, Grandpa says. Dad was all the time having to stay home and take care of her, but he didn't mind. He'd stay home and take care of her, and work on his studies when she was asleep. Then sometimes she'd get well again, and they'd always think, maybe that was the time she'd be well for good. Then something else would happen. Grandpa didn't want Dad to marry her because he thought she was going to die, and then Dad would be heartbroken, and Grandpa didn't want that." 

"So what happened?" 

"Well, Dad and Mom lived together for a few years, and they were pretty happy, but Mom really wanted to have a baby. Dad didn't want her to, because he didn't think she was healthy enough, but she said-" her voice caught a bit, "she said if she was going to go anyway, she wanted to leave some part of herself behind. So about a year later, she had me." She sighed. "It took a lot out of her. She wasn't feeling well when I was born, and she just kept getting worse after that. She died when I was just two years old. I don't even remember her." 

Aurora bowed her head. "That's so sad." 

"Not really, not for me. I can't really miss her if I never knew her," said Laine. "Kinda shook up my dad, though. He was scared for me - though I was going to be sick like Mom was and he'd lose me, too. He got the idea I'd be healthier if I stayed outdoors and got lots of sun and fresh air and exercise, so as soon as I was old enough, he started taking me with him on his trips. We went all over the continent together - all the wild places, I mean. Dad never liked cities. We stayed out in the fields and the forests and mountains, hunting for rare Pokemon to watch. Sometimes he'd decide to take a day off and just play with me all day. We'd go hiking and swimming, and at night we'd make a campfire and toast marshmallows. Those were the best times. 

"There were some times I couldn' go with him, though. He went dangerous places sometimes, and then he'd leave me at home with Grandpa. That's what happened a couple years ago. He'd heard a rumor there was some kind of rare Pokemon - I forget what it was - up in the mountains above the Ice Pass, and he wanted to go check it out." 

"Did he find it?" asked Aurora. 

Laine shrugged. "Nobody knows. He went up the mountain an' never came back down. They sent up a search party and found him lyin' there in a crack in the rocks. They figure he musta been lyin' there for days before he finally died..." She choked again. "I have nightmares about it. He's lyin' there callin' for me to help, an' I can't come to him, I'm just standin' there watchin' him die..." She trailed off into sniffling, and Aurora, feeling awkward, put her hand on he friend's shoulder, gently rubbing her back until she collected herself. Laine rubbed fiercely at her eyes and gave a final sniff. 

"I'm okay," she said. "You can quit doing that already." 

"Sorry," said Aurora, pulling away again. 

"S'okay, I guess," Laine replied. "Ya know, it's weird you asked if they ever found the whatever. People are still wonderin' about it. Nobody ever even figured out what it was he was looking for, much less whether he found it. When they recovered his journal, all they found was some mumbo-jumbo about snow and an egg. Nothin' about a Pokemon, just a snow-egg. It's a big mystery." 

"Wow," said Aurora. Scar clicked his beak in agreement, and the Eevees murmured to themselves. 

"You know what my dream is?" said Laine. "I'm gonna find that thing dad was lookin' for. I'm gonna finish what he started. I'm gonna find what he was lookin' for up there." 

"I know you will," said Aurora. "You'll find it, and both your parents will be very proud of you, wherever they are." 

"You think?" 

"I know it." 

"Thanks," said Laine. "Y'know, I don't think I ever told anyone that before. I guess maybe I trust you more than I thought I did." 

"Thanks. You're a good friend, Laine." 

"So are you, Rora." 

Just then, there was an unexpected raise in the light level around them - strange, considering that the sun was going down. Looking, they saw that the two Eevees had started to glow brightly, one staring fixedly at the sun, one at the moon. The lights increased steadily until they couldn't even be seen clearly as Eevees anymore, just two shining forms. Then the sun slipped below the horizon completely, and the spell was broken. The lights were gone. So were the Eevees. In their places were two new creatures. One was a sleek, catlike creature in a shade of pale purple; the other was dark and foxlike. 

"Wha' happened?" asked Laine, stunned. 

"They evolved!" Aurora exclaimed. "You've got an Esperon, now, and I've got an Umbreon. But I don't see why they would have evolved - we haven't even really battled with them, have we?" 

"That doesn' have anything to do with it," said Laine. "Eevees only evolve like this if they trust their trainers... guess they figured if we could trust each other, we must be worth trustin'." 

"Maybe so," Aurora agreed. 

"Eon!" said Umbreon, rubbing against her. "Eon, eon!" 

"I think I'll give you a name," she said. "I'm going to call you Moondancer." 

Laine nodded, looking at her new Espeon. "An' I'll call this one Sunset. It fits, huh?" 

"Just right," Aurora agreed. "So... what do we do now?" 

"Well, you still haven' been to the Gym yet, have you?" 

"True..." 

"Then if you're gonna show that Clair person you're as good as she doesn' think you are, you'd better get goin' before it closes for the night. Even Gym Leaders sleep sometimes, right?" 

"Right!" answered Aurora. "Besides, I've got a new Pokemon to try out now! What do you think, Moondancer? Are you up for a fight?" 

"Eon!" she agreed. 

"That settles it! Time to head back to the Gym," said Aurora. "Oh, and Laine?" 

"Yeah?" 

"You fought Whitney... could you give me some pointers?" 

Laine grinned. "Be glad to! After all, I _am_ a Pokemon Professor! Now, the first thing she's gonna send out is a Snubbul - he looks dumb, but watch him, 'cause those teeth are something else..." 

Side by side, the two girls walked back to the shimmering city, talking happily beneath the last remains of the fading sunset. 


	6. Stage Six - Spirits of Past and Future

**

Stage Six - Spirits of Past and Future

**

**

By: SilvorMoon

**

The Dratini crouched on the floor, its eyes half-closed in pain and exhaustion. Its trainer took a few steps closer to it, and it shivered, whimpering faintly and trying to use what little strength it had to pull away from her. There was nowhere to go, though; the room was nothing more than an empty square of stone, and the only doorway to freedom was blocked by the trainer herself. Clair glared down at the Pokemon, tapping her whip against her boot in annoyance. 

"You're pathetic," she hissed at it. "Look at you! You can't stand up to anything, can you?" 

The Dratini whimpered again. It was shivering uncontrollably. 

"You're a waste of my time," Clair continued. "I ought to just dump you and be done with it. I _could_ hand you over to those filthy Rockets. Would you like that? Do you really want to spend the rest of your life enslaved to them? Do you want to be used by them until they shatter you? No? Then you had better straighten up. You should be grateful I was willing to take you here and train you at all. I, the greatest Pokemon trainer in Johto, once the most powerful woman in the world..." 

She trailed off, losing herself for a moment in the shadows of memory. The Dratini, sensing her distraction, relaxed just a trifle. Clair caught the movement and cracked the whip across its back, making it squeak as another whiplash was added to its collection. 

"You will pay attention when you are in my presence!" she barked. "Do you hear that? I will not be disrespected! Not by you, not by anyone!" 

The creature cringed again, and Clair glowered at it. 

"You have to get stronger," she told it icily. "I will stand for nothing less. I refuse to be beaten because of your weakness. Not again." 

Beaten... how Clair hated that word, especially when it was applied to herself. There had been a time when it was unthinkable, back when she was still in her prime and her rise to the top looked like it would never be obstructed by anything. Even when she was very young, she had shown a skill that was nearly genius for training and tactics, so that before she was even old enough to officially join the ranks of trainers, she'd already assembled a collection of strong and intelligent Pokemon who obeyed her without question. She'd completed the Gym Challenge flawlessly, taking on Gym Leader after Gym Leader without effort. Her talent had caught the eye of Lance the Dragon Master himself, the most powerful trainer on the face of the earth. It was he who had taken her under his wing and completed her training by inducting her into the ranks of the Dragon Masters. With that kind of power at her disposal, there had been no one in the world who could stand against her. She'd been made Leader of the highest Gym in Johto, and she'd been sure she had what it took to rise even higher. Lance's bond with his Pokemon was so strong that he'd never had any room for humans in his life, so he'd never fathered any children, and it was common knowledge that Clair was his heir apparent. Lance wasn't as young as he used to be; he'd retire soon, and then it would be she who ruled over the Elite Four as Champion. In the meantime, she would bide her time in Blackthorn, defeating the hopeful trainers who came her way. There had not been many of them, after a while. She had not lost a match in years, and had a record of defeating hundreds of trainers, thousands of Pokemon. After a while, they stopped coming. Secure on her throne, protected by the sacred powers of the dragons, Clair felt what it was to be divine. 

And then, without warning, a boy had come to town. He hadn't looked like anything in particular, just another up-and-comer, a brand new trainer - from New Bark Town, no less, not even a proper Gym city. He should have been nothing against all her power and her years of experience... but he'd beaten her. She'd tried to cover up for it by refusing to give him the Badge, sending him instead to the Dragon Cave on some foolish little quest, trusting to the sacred dragons who lived inside to put the interloper in his place. Instead, he'd returned triumphant with the Dragon Fang, mark of mastery even over the dragons, and she'd had no choice but to finally, finally admit the shameful truth of her defeat. 

If it had been one defeat, it might not have been so bad. One defeat laid against hundreds of winning matches still left her the greatest trainer in Johto. Her reputation should have been left intact - she still should have been everything she'd been before that fateful battle. Therefore, she was surprised at the reaction she'd gotten from people when the news got out. She'd expected surprise, of course, even shock and outrage. Instead there was celebration. She had been amazed to find out that in the eyes of the general populace, she wasn't the goddess she thought she was, but a villain who had been keeping the trainers of the world from reaching their full potential, standing between them and Elite Four fame. Now the false idol had been toppled, by a little boy, no less, and the whole continent was celebrating her defeat. The boy was a hero, now, on par with that Ketchum boy everyone credited with destroying Team Rocket. 

As for Clair, she suddenly found herself with a lot of work to do. People who never would have dared challenge the invincible Dragon Master were now flocking to Blackthorn in droves. People she'd defeated before came back to challenge her; people who'd given up on the Gym Challenge after defeating Pryce were now coming back to finish the job. It seemed like every day she had at least one new challenger, and often more than one, and even if she still defeated most of them, the sheer number of challengers guaranteed that she would be beaten sometimes. One loss, two, three, ten, twenty - the numbers added up with horrifying speed, until even she was forced to admit that she was now just another Gym Leader, slightly better than most, but that was all. Somehow, though, she was going to get everything back, no matter what it took or who she had to make deals with... 

"You have considerable skill with that whip," said an unexpected voice behind her. "You must have been practicing." 

Clair whirled in place, her face twisting into a snarl. "Giovanni! What are you doing here? And in broad daylight, no less! People will _see_ you!" 

"I was very careful," he answered blandly, stepping into the room. "My chances are slightly better here than they were in Kanto, but I still prefer not to challenge fate too much. It has a funny way of turning on you when you least expect it." 

"You have personal experience with that, don't you?" she answered. 

"I have experience with getting overconfident and taking risks," he answered coolly. "Something I advise you not to do if you don't have to. My spies report seeing one of your Dragonites lurking in places you have no business being. Might I ask what that was all about?" 

"If your spies were so clever, you'd know," she retorted. "For your information, that dratted nephew of yours has taken up with bad company." 

"Ember was brought up in bad company. We are Team Rocket, after all." 

"Company that's bad for him," she said. "For reasons passing my understanding, he's taken a shine to some silly trainer girl. It's only a matter of time before he lets something slip. I wouldn't be surprised if he's already told her everything he knows." 

Giovanni frowned a bit. "That's not likely. Ember knows very well not to go telling Team Rocket secrets. He's never been talkative by nature." 

"Perhaps," answered Clair, "but the girl is already in on some things by herself. Very reliable sources tell me that it was her and an annoying friend who broke up your operation in Ilex Forest. She knows something is going on. She came up here snooping around, and now, my sources tell me, she's heading straight toward Ecruteak City. So is your nephew." 

"Ecruteak is a Gym City. If she's a trainer, she has every reason to go to Ecruteak. I think you're overreacting." 

"Then you aren't concerned about her getting into your operations there?" 

"Hm," said Giovanni. "Now that you mention it, perhaps it would be best to take a few precautions." 

"I knew you'd see it my way," said Clair. "What did you come here for, anyway? You don't need me for anything right now, or you shouldn't." 

"Perhaps I just like watching you work," he answered. 

"Don't you take that leering tone of voice with me," snapped Clair. "I still have some pride left, after all. I will not be treated like some weak woman." 

"I wouldn't dream of it," he said. "You certainly are defensive. A person would think I was posing a threat to your dubious modesty." He made a meaningful appraisal of her black leather costume. 

"You would have to be very foolish, to think I would fall for your dubious charms." 

"An apt retort," he answered. "I suspected that would be your answer, but I wouldn't feel I'd done my job if I didn't at least make the offer." 

"I barely have time to waste on scum like you for business purposes," answered Clair. "If you want to improve yourself in my sight, you had better start doing something besides talk." 

"What have you got in mind?" 

"Loan me a few of your people - members or servants or whatever you call them. I have a job I want done." 

"It doesn't take much to make you happy," he commented. "Very well. A group of five trainers will appear on your doorstep sometime tonight. You'll beat them all soundly, of course, and they'll hurry away as fast as they can. One of them will present the sign of the Earthbadge as proof they are from me." 

"You aren't the leader of that Gym anymore," said Clair. "You don't have the authority to be handing out Badges." 

He smiled thinly. "You forget; I'm a criminal. I am my own authority." 

"Very well, then. I'll look forward to my forthcoming victory, then," Clair replied. "Now, have you said everything you wanted to say?" 

"For now. Count on seeing me again soon, though." 

He bowed and made his exit, closing the door silently behind him. Clair simply sighed in faint disgust. His attitude was insufferable, but for now, she had to put up with him. Once she got everything back under control, then she could think about removing him. That would be a fine addition to her track record, proving Team Rocket was trying to regroup again and personally shutting it down. 

In the meantime, though, having her own personal team of Rockets delivered to her had a certain appeal. She was used to controlling Pokemon, but she had never given much thought to having actual human servants who were bound to do her will. She decided she liked the idea. 

"We'll see how it works," she mused. "If things work out, perhaps I won't shut the Rockets down entirely. Giovanni rose from a Gym Leader to the ruler of an empire of thieves. I'm a better leader than ever he was. Perhaps, with competent guidance, the Rockets could become something more. If I owned them, maybe they could finally reach their goal..." 

She clapped her hands together, her face suddenly radiant. 

"The world," she said. "I'll have the world at my feet. Once I rule them all, they'll never forget my power again." 

~*~

Aurora awoke to birdsong. She stretched, blinking in the early-morning sunlight, and looked around for the source. She and Laine hadn't been able to find a suitable Pokemon center that night, so they had been forced to camp out on the ground - not a very comfortable situation, she mused, picking a twig out of her hair, but nobody ever said being a trainer would be easy. 

Realizing she was awake, a Pidgey swooped down from a nearby tree and landed at her feet, twittering a happy good morning. The noise woke Scar, and he sat up and glared at the interloper through his good eye. Laine rolled over and tried to pull her blanket over her head. 

"Make that thing shut up," she mumbled. "It's too early in the mornin' to be singin'." 

"Pidgey, pidgey?" chirped the bird uncertainly. 

"It's all right," Aurora assured it. "She's always like that first thing in the morning." 

"Pidgey," it said. "Pidgey, pidgey." 

"A letter? For me?" asked Aurora. 

The Pidgey chirped agreement, holding out one leg. Aurora could see that there was indeed a piece of paper there, tied in place with a bright blue string. She quickly undid the string and was rewarded with a curled-up envelope, which she opened. Inside was a letter and a folded bit of thin cloth wrapped around a small object of some sort. She unfolded the letter. 

"Look at this," she said, addressing Laine's blanket since the girl herself was refusing to come out. "I've got a letter from Falkner." 

"Huh?" said Laine, poking her head out again and blinking sleepily. "Let me see!" 

"When I'm done reading," said Aurora. She settled down to peruse the note. 

"_Dear Aurora,_" it read, 

_Hello! I told you I'd write, and I have. I hope your journey is going well. I heard you had a bit of excitement in Azalea Town. Congratulations on a heroic feat! In case you haven't heard yet, the Rocket you caught made a full confession and has promised to give up his life of crime on the condition that no one will let "that Skarmory" near him again. Even so, he's going to jail for a while, so even if he doesn't keep his word, he won't be bothering us again anytime soon._

_I've had a flock of Pidgeys keeping an eye on you, but even the news from the birds can't keep but so close a watch. They're flighty creatures, sometimes, so my news on you has been patchy. The last I heard, you and your friend were in Goldenrod City. If that's where this letter finds you, STAY THERE - at least for a while. All the word from the birds is telling me that uncanny things are going on in Ecruteak. The spirits there are restless, and even Morty is having trouble keeping them calm. Rocket activity has been picking up, too. After years of them doing practically nothing, I'm suddenly getting word on them every day. You may be in danger. I know you're not the kind to be afraid of trouble, but I still wouldn't feel right if I at least didn't warn you that everything is not what it should be right now. If you want my advice, I'd tell you to lay low for a while._

_But if you refuse to do that, then I'll at least give you a little help getting yourself out of any trouble you go looking for. When we had our battle, I only gave you the usual monetary forfeit. However, if it had been a Gym battle, you would have been given a bonus, and seeing as how you had the battle totally unprepared, and on your first full day as a trainer at that, I think you deserve something a bit special. Normally I just hand out TM's, but I'm sending you something more useful. You will find in this envelope a Sharp Beak amulet. It boosts the powers of Flying-type Pokemon. Scar will like it - him, or any other bird you feel inclined to give it to. Good luck on your journey. I hope to see you again soon, so try to stay in one piece until then. Sincerely, Falkner, Violet City Gym Leader._

"Stay in one piece?" Aurora muttered. "He really must be worried. I thought he had more confidence in me than that." 

"What's he say?" asked Laine, who was now wide awake and staring with interest at the letter. 

"Falkner says there's trouble in Ecruteak," said Aurora. "He says there have been too many Rocket sightings lately for his peace of mind... and he says the spirits are restless, whatever that means." 

"Ecruteak's a weird place," Laine answered, sounding thoughtful. "Dad told me about it a few times. Powerful things are attracted to it for some weird reason. That's where those wind- dog critters used to hang out, y'know? That's where Lugia and Ho-oh used to live, long time ago. That's why Morty and his ghosts hang out there. There's s'posed to be a lotta spirit power in Ecruteak." 

"I don't know about that," said Aurora. "I know ghost Pokemon are real, but I don't really believe in all that spooky stuff people talk about. I'm not superstitious." 

"Well, it don't hurt to be careful," Laine replied. "Maybe we should find someplace else to go for a while. I'm not much scared of ghosts, but I do worry 'bout Rockets." 

"We've dealt with Rockets before. Anyway, he did do one constructive thing. Look - Falkner sent me a present!" 

Aurora opened the packet and took out what appeared to be a necklace. It was a golden charm about the length of her thumb, hung on a sturdy gold chain. The charm itself was triangular, with a small indentation running up the middle and the lower point of the triangle slightly hooked. It really did look a bit like the beak of a raptorial bird. However, even as she was holding it up to admire it in the bright sunlight, something swooped out of nowhere and grabbed it. 

"Hey!" Aurora squawked, glaring around for the thief. "Who did that?" 

"Wouldn't you like to know?" answered a raspy voice. 

Aurora stared. Perched on the lowest limb of a nearby tree was a bird. It had ragged black feathers and a large hooked beak, which Aurora felt sure was grinning at her in some avian way. Its eyes had a wicked light in them, and its claws gripped the chain of her amulet. 

"That's a Murkrow," said Laine. "What's he doin' here?" 

"Wouldn't you like to know?" it asked again. 

"Is that all you know how to say?" asked Aurora irritably. 

"Wouldn't you like to know?" 

"Oh, for cryin' out loud," Laine muttered. "Not only is it a Murkrow, which is bad enough, it's also got an attitude." 

"Get lost!" said the Murkrow. 

"That's not much better," said Aurora in the Murkrow's direction. To Laine, she asked, "What do you know about Murkrows?" 

"There's not much to know about them," Laine replied. "They're Pokemon, Dark/Flying types. A lot of people think they're bad luck. Mostly they're just big ol' ugly black birds." 

"Get lost!" Murkrow squawked. 

"Shut up!" Laine shouted back. 

"Get lost! Get lost! Get lost!" 

Laine sighed. "They also know how to mimic people-talk. Nobody really knows whether they can really talk, or they're just imitatin'. They all have bad attitudes, and they like to steal stuff, especially stuff that sparkles. I dunno what that one's doin' here, though. I didn't think Murkrows lived in this neck of the woods." 

"Get lost! Get lost!" 

"Maybe he's lost," Aurora suggested. 

"Get lost!" 

"I betcha somebody brought him out here and lost him on purpose," Laine muttered darkly. 

"Well, we're going to have to do something about him," said Aurora. "I want my amulet back. Let's see, what's the best way to deal with a Murkrow?" 

"Too bad nobody has a Pikachu or somethin' like that," Laine mused. "I don' think either of us are equipped for a Dark/Flying Pokemon." 

"Speak for yourself," Aurora answered. "Scar, go deal with him, would you please?" 

"Spearow!" he squawked. He took to the air and made a dive at the Murkrow. However, just as he was about to hit the black bird, it seemed to melt into the shadows and vanish. It reappeared a few feet away, making raucous squawks that sounded like laughter. 

"How'd he do that?" asked Aurora in consternation. 

"Wouldn't you like to know?" 

"I wasn't asking you!" she snapped back. 

"I'll bet it was a Faint Attack," said Laine thoughtfully. "I always wanted to see that. Wish I had a video camera. He must be pretty high-level to pull that one off." 

"Maybe so," Aurora admitted. "So, do you think fighting him is out, then?" 

"Prob'ly so," Laine replied. "You can kiss your necklace goodbye, that's for sure." 

"I don't think so," said Aurora. "Let me try something first." 

She flipped on her PokeGear and sorted through the stored items until she found her still- unopened Flying Pokemon care kit that she'd bought in Goldenrod City. She withdrew it and began opening it up, tearing off the cellophane wrapping. The Murkrow hopped around on his branch, eyes bright with interest. 

"What are you gonna do with that?" Laine asked. "Offer him a manicure?" 

"No, something better," Aurora replied. She held up the shiny plastic wrapping and waved it around, letting it flash in the sunlight. "Hey, Murkrow, look what I've got!" 

The Murkrow looked, and for once, he didn't have any insulting remarks. He hopped over to another branch to get a closer look. 

"Isn't this pretty?" asked Aurora in her most enticing tones. "I'll let you have it if you'll give me my necklace back." 

"Murkrow!" it squawked, and made a dive for the plastic wrap. Aurora quickly pulled it out of the way. The Murkrow vociferously protested. 

"That's not fair," Aurora chided him. "You don't get this until I get my amulet." 

The Murkrow considered. Then he hopped over until he was just out of arm's reach and set the amulet down on the ground. He hopped backwards again until it was clear he couldn't easily take it back. 

"That's more like it," said Aurora. She got up, picked up the amulet, and set the cellophane down in its place. She backed away again, and the Murkrow hopped over to take the plastic. As soon as it saw that she wasn't going to take it away, it gave a crow of victory and snatched the gift up, fluttering noisily away to hide it somewhere. 

"And that takes care of that," Aurora said with satisfaction. 

"Clever," said Laine. "Clever on your part, anyway. The Murkrow's pretty stupid to trade somethin' valuable like that amulet for a piece of trash, but-" 

"Get lost!" shouted a voice over their heads. 

Aurora giggled. "I think we know his opinion on that!" 

"Well, at least you got rid of him. That's somethin'." Laine muttered. 

However, that proved not to be the case. The girls cleaned up camp and stowed all their belongings away in the storage system, setting out again towards Ecruteak. It was good traveling weather, bright and sunny, with the air cooling comfortably as they drew closer to the more mountainous regions. There were also lots of trees, through which Scar made periodic explorations in search of edibles and interesting Pokemon; once he startled an Aipom that ran away chattering. However, as time passed, both he and his trainer became aware of a feeling of being watched, and he squawked his concerns to her. 

"You're right; I think there is something out there," Aurora replied. "Laine, let me borrow your binoculars a minute. I want to look around." 

"It's prob'ly just some Pokemon somewhere," said Laine. She began going through her things for the field glasses. 

"Maybe," Aurora replied, "but maybe not. If there's something out there, I want to know about it ahead of time, before it tries to jump out and grab me. What if it's a Rocket, or a ghost?" 

"Or a Zubat," Laine muttered. 

"That's not funny," Aurora complained. 

"That's just as likely as a ghost," said Laine. "Neither one comes out in the daytime." 

"Well, I'm going to look anyway," answered Aurora, undeterred as usual. She accepted Laine's binoculars and began making a thorough search of the nearby area. It wasn't long before she picked out something that looked like it didn't belong: an oddly shaped shadow that was skulking along through the branches. 

"Is he _still_ here?" she complained. 

"Who?" asked Laine. 

"That Murkrow! He's following us!" 

"Why would he wanna do that?" 

"Wouldn't you like to know?" answered the Murkrow, swooping down out of the tree to land in front of them. It strutted around, fanning its tailfeathers proudly and eyeing Aurora and Laine's Badges with interest. Scar made a hissing noise and glared at the interloper, clicking his beak menacingly. The Murkrow appeared unimpressed. 

"What are you following us for?" Aurora demanded. "Come on, answer me! I know you can." 

"Get lost!" 

"This is gettin' monotonous," said Laine. "Maybe he thinks if he annoys us enough, he'll get more presents from you. If I were a Murkrow, that's what I'd do." 

"Well, he's not getting anything from me until he learns some more polite language," Aurora replied. "I'm not having anything to do with a Pokemon whose entire conversation consists of insults." 

The black bird tilted its head and tried to look soulful. "Murkrow?" 

"Yes, well, now you're apologetic," said Aurora. "How long is that going to last, though?" 

"Wouldn't you like to know?" 

Aurora sighed. "Oh, forget it! I have better things to do than trade insults with a Murkrow! Go on, shoo! Go pester somebody else." 

"Murkrow?" 

"I don't know! Find someone!" Aurora answered. 

"Murk, murk, murkrow?" 

"Huh? What do you mean, like him?" 

Aurora turned in the direction the Murkrow was looking and was surprised to see someone standing there. For a moment, she was startled - the newcomer was wearing the distinctive red "R" on his jacket that marked him as a Rocket. However, she realized this was one Rocket she knew, and she relaxed a bit. 

"Ember! You sneaked up on me! What are you doing here?" she asked. 

"Well, I did tell you I'd meet you in Ecruteak," he answered coolly. "However, the situation being what it is, I thought it more appropriate to meet you outside the city limits. Things have been a bit hectic there, in case you haven't heard." 

"Yes, I've heard. Falkner told me about it." 

"He did? How does he know what's going on in Ecruteak?" asked Ember, surprised. 

Aurora shrugged. "He told me he's had a flock of Pidgeys keeping an eye on things; I suppose they told him." 

"Pidgeys," Ember repeated thoughtfully. "Well, there's an idea. Why couldn't _she_ use Pidgeys? They're on every tree and bush in Johto; nobody would have noticed if she sent out twelve dozen of them." 

"She?" Aurora demanded. "She, who?" 

"None of your business," answered Ember loftily. "Or... perhaps not, but it's trouble you got yourself into; you can very well get out of it without my help." 

"I wouldn't expect your help with anything," said Aurora. "So, how long have you been in Ecruteak?" 

"Since last night. I didn't stay very long in Goldenrod," he answered. "Just long enough to pick up a small souvenir." 

He pulled back the corner of his jacket, just enough to give them a glimpse of three metallic shimmers that were quickly covered up again. 

"Can't be too visible," he said offhandedly. "Rockets taking on Gym Leaders is considered something of a breach of etiquette all around. I mean to change that, once Uncle Giovanni retires and leaves me in charge." 

"So, why the Rocket getup?" asked Laine. "Are you behind the trouble in Ecruteak?" 

"There was trouble in Ecruteak long before I got there," Ember replied. "This is camouflage. The way things stand right now, a Rocket is less likely to be bothered than an honest trainer. I don't know what kept you in Goldenrod so long, but you should have let it keep you a little longer. It's going to take some time for things to get cleared up... What _were_ you doing, anyway? Even with a bad knee I still made better time than you." 

"We went to see Bill," said Laine, sounding a bit smug. "He gave us a couple of rare Pokemon. How do ya like that, huh?" 

"Rare Pokemon, eh?" answered Ember thoughtfully. "More than one, if I'm any judge. Where did you find the Murkrow?" 

"What, him?" asked Aurora, mildly startled. "He's not mine. He just showed up and won't leave me alone." 

"Get lost!" 

"Same to you!" she shouted over her shoulder. 

"I see," said Ember, taking on a speculative look. "Well, Murkrow, what would you say if I asked you to tell me who your previous trainer was?" 

"Wouldn't you like to know?" 

"I thought so," said Ember. "I knew you looked familiar. You probably don't remember me, do you?" 

The bird assumed a crafty expression; Aurora had never imagined a bird could wear a wicked grin, but this one did. 

"Hail Giovanni!" it said. 

Ember blushed. "Oh, shut up!" 

"You know this yutz?" asked Laine, looking at him suspiciously. 

"Something like that," Ember replied. "He belonged to one of my uncle's executives. I'd remember old Blabberbeak anywhere. He grew up in bad company, and it seems to have rubbed off on him." 

The Murkrow made a rude noise and flirted his tailfeathers impudently. 

"Used to belong?" Aurora repeated. "What happened to his trainer?" 

Ember shrugged. "Lance decided he'd overstepped himself and locked him up. It happens occasionally; that's the arrangement Team Rocket has with the Elite Four." 

"I know that," said Aurora. "Falkner told me; he said they never tried to rout Giovanni entirely as long as your Rockets never get too out of hand." 

"Falkner knows too much," Ember muttered. "I'm going to have to look into that. Anyway, back when we made our last big play here in Johto, this fellow had the extraordinary ill-judgement to let our password get out so Lance and his little helper could break up our operations in Mahogany Town. None of us would have him around after that, so we turned him out." Ember sighed. "A pity. That was such a good plan." 

"So this is just living proof that Rockets really do just abandon Pokemon they don't want anymore," Aurora muttered. 

"What? Would you have actually kept him around?" asked Ember. "He's a security hazard... and an annoyance. Nobody would want a Pokemon like that." 

"Well, I wouldn't just turn him out," said Aurora. "And here I thought you were the kind of trainer who cared about your Pokemon. I guess I was wrong about you." 

"Do you blame me for wanting to keep Pokemon that are strong?" he asked. "Or do you expect me to be like you and run a shelter for strays and rejects? Admit it; you don't have a single Pokemon in your roster that's not there because it couldn't take care of itself!" 

Scar growled at that remark, his feathers bristling. 

"You take that back!" Aurora shouted. "You know it's not true; take it back before I make you eat your words!" 

"Are you challenging me to a battle?" he asked. "This should be fun. I've got something to show you, anyway." 

"I can take anything you can dish out, and so can my partners." 

"Very well, then! Let's begin! Seadra, go!" 

Aurora made a quick decision, reaching for a Pokeball. "Moondancer, I choose you!" 

The two Pokemon materialized, glaring at each other. Ember laughed. 

"Moondancer?" he asked incredulously. "Where did you get a name like that? You really are an incorrigible romantic." 

Moondancer shot a glare at him through her ruby-red eyes. Quick as a flash, she kicked up a Sand-attack, leaving Seadra blinded by dust. It fired off an attack and missed, and Moondancer rushed in and bit its opponent fiercely. Seadra tried in vain to defend itself, but the unseen enemy was too fast and clever for it, and it went down. 

"Seadra, return!" Ember called. "Aerodactyl, you're up!" 

The stone beast flew into the air, screeching it's battle cry. 

"I thought you said you couldn't control that thing!" Aurora wailed. 

"I can now that I have some Badges! Come on, counterattack!" 

"Well, you asked for it! Rusty, take him out!" 

The steel Pokemon appeared in a blaze of light, feathers flashing in the sunlight. He flew straight up and hit his opponent with a crash of wings, and the two went into a wild aerial fight, with their trainers below shouting encouragement. Aurora was starting to feel smug; this Aerodactyl was clearly strong, but Ember hadn't been seriously training it long enough for it to really know what to do with itself; it answered to his commands, but it was uncoordinated and uncertain. That coupled with Skarmory's type advantage was enough to take him out of the sky, and Laine actually had to jump out of the way as it thudded into the middle of the clearing. Blabberbeak the Murkrow squawked his objection to the situation. Aurora looked to see how Ember was taking it; he was retrieving his Aerodactyl with a calm that was suspicious. 

"I was almost hoping you'd do that," he said. 

"Really? Why?" 

"So I could show you my surprise." 

"Surprise?" Aurora repeated, remembering at the same time that he hadn't shown his Charmeleon yet and getting a sneaking feeling she knew what was going on... 

Ember took out his third Pokeball and launched it. There was a flash of orange light - lots of orange light that steadily increase into a huge orange shape, until Aurora found herself staring up at a huge dragonlike beast with billowing wings and a flaming tail. She gawped. 

"Evolution in action," said Ember proudly. "Say hello to my Charizard!" 

"Umm..." she said. Suddenly her brain was frozen; she couldn't think of anything to do while this immense fire breathing beast was looking down at her with cold calculation in its eyes. Scar and Moondancer looked pathetically tiny next to it, and Rusty was weak against Fire attacks. She was paralyzed, unable to think of anything except the fact that she was about to be spectacularly beaten, and there was nothing she could do about it at all... 

A splash of water came out of nowhere at all, and Charizard roared as it was drenched from top to bottom, its tail steaming with an angry hiss. Everyone yelped as the cold wave hit them. Aurora, spluttering and wiping water out of her eyes, looked up and managed to see a man in a black suit standing next to a wicked-looking Kabutops. 

"There she is!" somebody shouted. "Get her!" 

There was a rush of footsteps, but Aurora didn't wait around to see whose they were. Her instinct was to get out of the way, and she did so, ducking as Scar sensed battle and flew into action. There were several curses and at least one shriek as he lashed out with beak and claws against the people who would attack his trainer. It wasn't until she'd reached a reasonably safe shadowed place among the trees that she turned around to see what was going on. Five assorted Rockets sporting black jackets and snarls were blundering around in the clearing, dodging Scar's rapid strikes, while their Pokemon watched in puzzlement. Besides the Kabutops, she could see a Gloom, a Houndour, a Hypno, and a Graveler. Ember was standing there watching them, looking annoyed, while his Charizard did much the same. 

"Where did she go?" one of the grunts shouted. "Track her down! Find her!" 

"Oh, no you don't," Aurora muttered. "Laine, where are you?" 

"Right here," said a voice in her ear, making her jump. 

"Laine! Don't do that!" 

"Sorry," she said. "I have better sense than to hang around when Rockets show up, but I didn't think you were the kind to cut out. What are ya doin' over here?" 

"Regrouping," she said, eyeing the forces arrayed against her. "If they're looking for us, well, they'd better just be careful what they wish for." 

"You want to fight them?" said Laine. "Good. I'da been worried if you didn't. Whatcha got in mind?" 

Meanwhile, Ember was glaring at his men with fire in his eyes. 

"What in the name of Lugia are you doing here?" he demanded. "You could have seriously injured my Charizard! When my uncle hears about this-" 

"Sorry, kid," the leading grunt said. "We've got our orders. Nothing we can do about it." 

"Orders? What kind of orders? This has nothing to do with our plans! Explain yourselves." 

"It's okay, Ember," said Aurora, coming back into view again. "I can take care of this." 

Catching sight of his partner, Scar gave a squawk and fluttered back over to her side. He seemed to sense that she had the situation under control again, and was tired of trying to deal with five angry Pokemon at once; some of his feathers were scorched from an encounter with the Houndoom. 

"There you are!" the grunt growled. "Surrender to Team Rocket, girl, or prepare to pay the price!" 

"I don't think so," she answered. "Rusty, Moondancer, back in action!" 

Laine produced a pair of PokeBalls. "Nova, Sunset, Slowpoke, front and center!" 

The Rockets jumped back, looking suddenly leery as they surveyed the small force that had assembled against them. 

"Oh, so you want to fight back?" growled the man in front, who appeared to be a leader of sorts. "Little unevolved Pokemon won't help you here, girls." 

_I'm a little unevolved Pokemon, am I?_ Aurora heard Rusty say. _Silver-hair, may I hurt these people?_

"Go for it," Aurora answered. "Take them out, guys!" 

The Pokemon charged in a small wave of leaping and fluttering creatures, and the fight was on. The Kabutops tried vainly to attack the nimble Nova, who dodged neatly out of the way without so much as getting a drop on him, counterattacking with his karate chops and kicks. Moondancer moved around the field in a blur that was all but invisible, striking quickly and then vanishing again in a cloud of dust. It didn't take long for her to figure out that the Hypno was sensitive to her attacks, and she harried it mercilessly. Rusty aimed for the most powerful in the bunch, the Graveler, battering its rocky hide with his steel wings and beak. The Gloom was in double difficulties, being stunned by Sunset's psychic attacks while simultaneously being pecked by an angry Spearow. Even Laine's Slowpoke was getting into the action, making the Houndour yelp in pain with its endless jets of water. Through the melee, Aurora was surprised to see Blabberbeak joining the fray, getting in attacks wherever he thought no one was paying attention. He seemed to be of the same mind as Rusty where the welfare of Rockets was concerned; both of them were harrying the people in black as much as they were the rival Pokemon. In the end, the Rockets were just barely able to get their own partners to safety before they were all herded together and bowled over by a sweep of the Skarmory's wings. They cringed on the ground as the giant bird looked speculatively at them. 

_How much punishing do they deserve?_ he inquired. 

"Don't hurt them too much," said Aurora. "Just enough so they'll know better next time." 

"Don't hurt them at all," Ember countermanded. "Get that Skarmory away! These are my men, and I'll handle them." 

"If you wanted to handle them, why didn't you help us?" asked Aurora. "I saw you; you were just standing on the sidelines doing nothing." 

"Don't be an idiot," Ember snapped. "Whose side do you think I'm on?" 

"You tell her, Boss!" said one of the Rockets. 

"Shut up," Ember snapped. "I want an explanation, and it had better be a good one. What are you doing out here?" 

"Sorry, Boss," said a different grunt. "We didn't know you was here. We just had our orders, you know, and we had to follow them." 

"Orders?" Ember repeated. "What orders? From whom?" 

"From the top," a woman Rocket said. "Right from the top. We have the mark to show it." Looking nervously at the Skarmory, she reached into a pocket and took out something black and shiny, offering it to Ember for inspection. Save for the color, it was a perfect replica of the Earthbadge. 

"So," he said, "it's come to this. I guessed as much. Did he send you looking for the girl?" 

She nodded. "He said we had to capture her and bring her back alive." 

"I'm guessing this wasn't all my uncle's idea, either?" 

"No, he said this was a favor to-" one of the grunts began, and was silenced as Ember kicked him. 

"Not in front of the girl," he snapped. "I can guess. It was _her_, wasn't it?" 

The grunts nodded. Ember sighed. 

"As I guessed," he said. "Well, you can go back and tell both of them that I have the situation under control. Tell them you were beaten by a couple of little girls and their foundling Pokemon. Tell them _now_." 

There was a scramble as the Rockets rushed to take themselves elsewhere. Rusty looked disappointed. The girls called their partners back to their customary places, and Ember collected his disgruntled Charizard. 

"I suppose we can call this battle a draw," he said. "It wouldn't be sporting to ask you to go back to fighting after that. We know who's going to win next time, though." 

"You're trying to change the subject, and I haven't even gotten to it yet," Aurora accused. 

"Do I look like I want to answer your questions?" Ember replied. 

"You're going to have to," Aurora answered. "What was that all about? You know something you're not telling." 

"Very astute," said Ember dryly. 

"Well, come on already," she said. "Spill!" 

Ember gave a laugh. "You think a lot of yourself, Winter-Hair, if you think you can just order me around like that. I'm Giovanni's heir, one of the most powerful people in the world." 

"There are obviously two people more powerful than you, going by what those Rockets said." 

"True," said Ember thoughtfully, "though sometimes I do wonder... I believe Uncle is slipping, if he's willing to waste his time on one little girl, just for the sake of..." 

"Of what?" Aurora insisted. "What does he want me for? Just because I helped break up the thing in Ilex Forest?" 

"No, I don't think so." 

"Then what?" 

"I can't tell you," said Ember impatiently. "Even if I wasn't bound to secrecy, I wouldn't tell you." 

"Why?" she demanded. "Having to much fun playing mysterious bad guy?" 

"No," Ember snapped. "Look, you just don't want to know, all right? Just - just listen to your friend Falkner and stay out of Team Rocket's way before you put yourself in danger. If you're smart, you'll just give this whole thing up now and go home." 

"What? Don't you think I can handle it?" Aurora demanded. "Well, I've got news for you! I'm up to anything anyone can dish out!" 

"Even Clair?" 

"Even Clair! I'll become the greatest trainer on the continent! You'll see." 

"I'd rather you didn't," he answered. "It's for your own good. You'll be happier if you just stop right here. Three Badges is enough to show you're talented. Go home." 

"No way," she said flatly. "Whatever happened to being rivals? Have you given up on me?" 

"Maybe I think there are more important things than a childish rivalry," answered Ember. 

Before Aurora could say anything else, he turned and ran off, making good time into the darkness of the forest. She stared. 

"What was that all about?" she wondered. 

"Wouldn't you like to know?" 

Aurora turned to look at the Murkrow. "I certainly would." 

"Your boyfriend's a little crazy, if ya ask me," said Laine. "Maybe you need to go find a new one." 

"I wonder what Team Rocket wants with me?" Aurora wondered. "I'm nothing special... Well, there was that thing in Ilex, but he said it wasn't that... what else have I done?" 

"Who knows why Rockets want what they want?" asked Laine. "That bunch has more nuts in it than a granola bar factory." 

"You always talk about them like they aren't even human," Aurora accused. "Ember isn't that crazy. I think he's really trying to protect me... but I can take care of myself. Come on, let's get moving. Town can't be too much further ahead." 

"I have a bad feeling about this," said Laine. She eyed the Murkrow warily. "People say that if a Murkrow shows up, somebody's gonna die soon." 

"Superstition," scoffed Aurora... but when she walked into town, she walked quietly. 

~*~

Ecruteak should have been a pretty town. It was attractive, in its way, but the fact that there wasn't a living thing in sight made its old-fashioned architecture look like the ruins of some long-lost empire instead of a thriving town. The girls stood at the front gates and stared. 

"Are you sure we shouldn't come back later?" asked Laine. 

"Can't," Aurora sighed. "We don't have any more food, and it's lunchtime." 

"Yeah, you're right," Laine agreed. She looked around forlornly. "Do you think anyone around here even _has_ any food?" 

"I guess we'll have to look," said Aurora. She didn't sound that thrilled about it. 

"I think you'd be better off coming with me," said a voice nearby. 

Aurora shrieked, Laine yelped, and Scar gave a loud squawk. Standing a few feet away, partially camouflaged by his dark garb against the forest shadows, was a young man. He had a stern, serious expression and hair paler than Auroras. There was an aura of power around him that made just looking at him a spine-tingling experience. 

"Don't do that!" he scolded, looking alarmed. "Keep it _down_! Now is not the time to be making noise." 

"Sorry. You startled us," said Aurora. "Who are you?" 

"My name is Morty; I'm the Gym Leader here in this town," he said. "My old schoolmate Falkner told me he had a stubborn young protege who might turn up in town and told me to keep an eye out for you. My Ghosts may not be as effective spies as Falkner's birds are, but they can warn me when someone is looking for me." 

"Falkner told you to watch for me?" asked Aurora, a bit startled. "But - but you're a senior Gym Leader!" 

"Superficially," said Morty. "I'd prefer not to talk about it here. Would you like to join me for lunch? It won't be much, but it's the best you're likely to get, at the moment." 

"We accept," Aurora answered quickly, before anyone could complain. Laine shot her a dark look. 

"Excellent," said Morty. "You'll be safer with me than anywhere else in this town. Come." 

As he began leading them through the streets, Laine whispered to Aurora, "I hope ya know what you're doin'." 

"What are you worried about?" Aurora answered. "This is one of Falkner's friends. He's a Gym Leader. He can't be that bad." 

"You just have his word that any of that stuff is true," said Laine. 

"How did he know we were coming if he didn't hear it from Falkner?" asked Aurora. 

"Ember coulda told him. He knew you were comin'." 

"Ember told me not to come here. Why would he set a trap for me and then tell me not to fall into it?" 

"Then someone else set it. Get a clue - they're out to get you, girl, and if you don' wise up soon, they will." 

"Then we're safer following a Gym Leader, aren't we?" 

"We don' know he's a Leader, though. He could be in disguise." 

"I _am_ a Gym Leader," said Morty casually, "and it doesn't do much good trying to talk about me behind my back. Especially not with the way things are lately. You can never be sure just who is listening." 

Even as he spoke, there was a ripple in the air, and three hazy shapes appeared, hovering around their heads, occasionally darting away and then swooping back to whisper in the Gym Leader's ear. Laine looked impressed. 

"Ghosts!" she exclaimed. "Can I look at them?" 

"You'll see all you want, once we get where we're going," Morty replied. 

Nearing the center of town, they came to what looked like a large wooden building, something like a haunted house from a movie - Aurora would have thought it had been abandoned if it weren't for the fact that it was surrounded by what seemed to be a well-cared for ornate metal fence, worked with designs of various Ghost Pokemon and the Fog Badge. 

"You live here?" asked Laine incredulously, picking her way through the weed-filled front yard. 

"It's mostly for effect," said Morty. "It's better inside. Come." 

He led the girls into a dark and dreary entrance hall, lit dimly by candles in sconces. The rippling-air effects were thick in here, as ghosts swooped and glided through the walls and circled the newcomers like curious, semitransparent dogs. Aurora got a glimpse into what looked like it might be the actual Gym, a dismaying looking room that didn't appear to have a floor, as far as she could tell. Looking away from that unnerving sight, she found herself being led up a rickety staircase, complete with creaky stairs and eerie staring portraits. At the top of the stairs there was a trapdoor, which Morty pushed out of the way. 

Sunshine beamed down. Everyone clambered through the trapdoor and into a brightly-lit room, mostly white, with only a few bits of simple, graceful furniture to fill the airy space. The walls were decorated by gentle watercolor paintings of natural scenes. There was a faint scent of incense. The only similarity to this place and the and the rooms downstairs was that the ghosts were still milling around, though not quite so thickly. 

"Ignore the Pokemon," said Morty, ushering the girls to a low table and indicating that they should sit. "They don't normally come up here, but they've been restless lately." 

"Because of the Rockets?" asked Aurora. 

"That's what we believe, yes," Morty said. He pushed aside a folding door and wandered into the kitchen, where he started rattling around dishes. "They've been trespassing in places they don't belong. It's making the spirits uncomfortable. Well, imagine how you'd feel if a few dozen Rockets showed up at your house uninvited!" 

Aurora looked at the ghosts as best she could in the bright sunlight. She had never really imagined that a ghost could look nervous, but these certainly did. They cringed away from the streaming sunlight, hovering nervously wherever they could find a stray shadow. It was clear they didn't like it here, and equally clear they were too afraid to leave. Scar hopped around looking at them, trying to figure out the nature of these strange shimmery things, until Aurora ordered him to leave them alone. 

After a few moments, Morty reappeared, carrying a tray with a few mismatched plates and cups, containing three bowls of soup and some sandwiches. 

"Sorry nothing matches," he said. "I don't often entertain guests." 

"Just friends of friends," said Aurora, taking one of the sandwiches and giving it to Scar. 

"You keep your Pokemon outside his Pokeball," Morty commented. "I find that intriguing. Maybe you've noticed I tend to do the same thing." 

This was said with a faint smile and a slight laugh - understandable considering that the minute he'd seated himself, a Haunter had come out of nowhere to settle in his lap, and another was perching on his shoulders. 

"Scar doesn't like Pokeballs," Aurora told him. "He was abused by his first trainer, and now he doesn't like being shut in. I know he won't leave me, so I just let him come and go as he pleases." 

"I see," said Morty, nodding his approval. "I like that. I can see why you made such a good impression on my old friend Falkner... And what about you? Where do you fit into this equation?" 

This last comment was addressed to Laine, who was ignoring both the conversation and the food. Instead, she was holding a large magnifying glass, trying to get a better look at a Gastly, that was apparently as curious about her as she was about it. 

"Hm?" she said vaguely. 

"Laine's a researcher," Aurora explained. "Her dad was, too. Maybe you've heard of him - Marcus Harvester." 

"Hm," said Morty, looking thoughtful. "The name rings a bell. I admit I wasn't one of his personal friends, but I respect his work... though my own personal opinion is that he didn't give Ghost Pokemon quite the respect they deserve. Then again, few people do. And his daughter seems different. I think that one likes you, Miss Laine." 

"Really?" she asked, looking surprised. She'd been involved with waving her hand back and forth through the misty Pokemon, intrigued at how it seemed to phase straight through it. 

"That's what he says. Of course, they're inclined to be clingy lately. He'd probably welcome being put in a Pokeball just to get away from all the activity." 

"You mean I can keep it?" she asked. "But I thought it was yours!" 

"Not all of these are mine," said Morty. "They've just been congregating here because they're afraid. He'd probably welcome having a trainer to protect him." 

"Great. Just what I need - a spooked spook," said Laine. "But... aw, what the heck. C'mere, Spook!" 

She took out a Pokeball and opened it, watching with satisfaction as the 'mon all but dove for safety. She snapped it shut and clipped it to her belt. 

"What about you, Rora?" she asked. "Doncha want a ghost of your own?" 

"If its all the same to you, I think I'll pass," said Aurora, watching a bit nervously as a Misdreavus hovered straight through her and disappeared under the table. 

"Not everyone can be comfortable around the spirits," said Morty in a tone of resignation. "Ah, well. I suppose someone has to look after the other Pokemon, and Falkner does tell me you seem to have an affinity of your own." 

"I'm starting to agree with Ember," Aurora muttered. "How come Falkner told you so much?" 

"Well, it all has to do with how things work in this world," said Morty. "It has to do with how the game got started. Did it ever occur to you that it was strange for an entire civilization to be based on a game?" 

"No, not really..." Aurora answered. "That's just the way it's always been, hasn't it?" 

"For quite some time, yes," answered Morty. "But not always. It took time for humanity to learn to befriend the Pokemon. Before that, they were always embattled with each other, each fearing that the other would come and attack it. That was when the affinities began to emerge. Some people learned that they could communicate with the Pokemon, and realized that they were not the animals we used to believe they were, but living things with emotions and intelligence similar to our own. People began collecting Pokemon and helping them develop their skills, understanding the type differences and the way they attack. It was only natural that some would start comparing their partners with another's, and competition would begin. That was how the game got its start, and there was a time when winning meant everything. Your life might depend on how well you could train your Pokemon to protect you from wild ones. Naturally, the people who were best at the game became leaders, and anyone else who wanted to be a leader would challenge them..." 

"Gym Leaders," said Aurora. "Those were the first Gym Leaders." 

"Right," Morty answered, nodding. "Do you see where I'm going with this?" 

She shook her head. "Not a clue." 

"What I'm saying," he told her, fixing her with a stern glare, "is that this isn't a game. Who do you think is in charge of the world? We aren't just here as the bosses of some great galactic video game. We're here to preserve the law and order of this world. We all do our part in watching what goes on around us and preventing trouble. Falkner may be at the bottom of the ladder as far as fighting order goes, but he's one of our most important members. He doesn't like me to call him this, but I think of him as a kind of spymaster. Not much goes on that his flocks don't see... but when there are places they can't go or won't go, I have my own ways of finding out things. Between the two of us, we've got a spy network that would put Team Rocket to shame. One reason why they've never gotten too far out of control." 

"Why are you telling me all this?" asked Aurora. "Isn't this supposed to be sort of, you know, secret?" 

Morty gave her an opaque smile. "I was under the impression you wanted to join our order. I thought you should know what you were getting yourself into. You did want to become a Gym Leader yourself someday, didn't you?" 

"Yeah..." she said thoughtfully. After a pause, she said, "Who do you think the greatest Gym Leader is?" 

"Lance, of course," said Morty. "He is a very good leader, in all senses of the word. But if you're talking about the local leaders, that is a difficult question... Jasmine would probably be my personal choice. Your friend Falkner gets high marks, of course, but Jasmine outweighs him in the power department. Though really, the one trait a trainer needs to have is a desire to be of use to others. If a trainer is working only for their own good, they're worse than worthless. They become a liability. I'm in favor of weeding out liabilities in our midst, but there are others who are too willing to grant second chances..." 

"What do you mean?" asked Aurora. 

"I've been getting bad vibrations lately," Morty replied. "Nothing I can put my finger on, but I'm almost convinced one of our number has turned on us. There's no solid evidence, though, so until I can get some, everyone's considered innocent until proven guilty. I'm worried. There has to be something going wrong somewhere, or the Rockets wouldn't be so confident... Would you like to help?" 

"Huh?" said Aurora, surprised. Even Laine took her attention away from the ghosts long enough to listen. 

"Ever since I heard about you, I've been considering an idea," said Morty. "You have a friend in the Rockets. That puts you in a position to be useful to me. I have a deal to make with you - find out for me what the Rockets are doing and who's covering up for them, and I'll give you the Fog Badge." 

Aurora looked dismayed. "That's not how it's supposed to work." 

"Badges are simply to prove your skill as a trainer," said Morty. "If you can get into a Rocket base, learn something from them, and get out, I don't think anyone will argue that you are a talented trainer indeed." 

"We've already done that," said Laine. "In Ilex Forest." 

"That was an accident," Morty replied. "That's also irrelevant. This is my deal - go to the local Rocket hideout and find out what you can, and I'll reward you with a Badge. Otherwise, I'll have to do things the old-fashioned way. Do you really want to have to fight me?" 

He smiled cooly, and the eyes of his ghosts glittered. Aurora felt a chill. 

"All right," she said. "Where are they?" 

"The Burnt Tower," Morty answered. "Not a place where most people are allowed to be. It's been sealed up for years - it's unsafe - but sometimes people sneak in anyway. There's a rumor that people who spend the night there will have dreams of the future. There's a high concentration of spirit energy there." 

"So them bein' there is what's stirrin' up all the ghosts?" asked Laine. 

"I deem it likely," Morty answered. "You'd be doing the city a service if you broke them up." 

"Hmm," said Aurora, thinking hard. "And all I've got to do is go in and look, and I get the Badge?" 

"That's right." 

"In that case," she answered, "I refuse." 

"What?" said Laine, staring. 

Morty gave her a thoughtful look. "Oh, really? Why not?" 

"Because if you really wanted to see what they were doing, you'd go look yourself, instead of sending a little girl to do it," she answered. "Anyway, it wouldn't be honorable. You get Gym Badges by fighting, not by spying on people. I'll get my Badges by winning, thanks." 

Much to her surprise, Morty began to laugh, a long, happy laugh that didn't seem to fit the situation at all. 

"Well spoken!" he said. "Very well spoken indeed. I'm most pleased. For a minute there, I was starting to worry you might accept." 

"Huh?" said Aurora. "But I thought..." 

"You thought I was serious? You were supposed to; it wouldn't have been a test otherwise," Morty replied. "You'll have to forgive me, but I can't be as trusting as your friend Falkner is. He's a bit of an idealist. Me, I specialize in the dark side of things. I am careful. I remember other would-be Gym Leaders, great trainers as far as the game went, but no sense of sportsmanship at all. Falkner told me you were all right, but I wanted to be sure." 

"Well, are you convinced now?" asked Aurora. "Because if you are, I want to go ahead and get this battle over with." 

"It is over," said Morty, smiling. 

"But... but we didn't..." 

"A battle of wills," he said. "I thought you deserved something more than the usual test. Anyone can win a battle, but after all..." He trailed his fingers across the ghost that rested in his lap, "I am supposed to provide a test of the spirit." 

"I don't quite understand," said Aurora. "I thought we were going to fight." 

"We did. Just not in the usual sense," Morty answered. "You want to be one of us. To do that, you need to be more than just a skilled trainer. You need to be honest and trustworthy. You need a sense of honor and sportsmanship. Even the lowest Rocket can control his Pokemon, but it takes a special kind of trainer to control himself. If you weren't that kind of trainer, I didn't want to see you go any further than this. Do you understand?" 

"I think so," she replied. "But I passed, right?" 

"You did quite well," said Morty. "And I think you would have been disappointed if you went to the tower, anyway. The Rockets cleared out not long ago. They didn't like it there - claimed the place gave them bad dreams. I'm not surprised. There's an old legend that people who spend the night have true dreams, visions of the past and future. I don't think they would have found visions of their future very encouraging." 

"So... there's really not a problem?" asked Aurora. 

"Oh, the ghosts are still restless, there's no question of that," Morty replied. "Rockets always bring an aura of anger and pain wherever they go, and it will take a day or two before the bad vibrations clear up. But other than that, no, things shouldn't be too dangerous around here anymore... Hm? What's your problem?" 

This last remark was addressed to a large Gengar with ruby eyes who was busy trying to get his trainer's attention. Morty listened to whatever it was saying with a look of interest - to Aurora, he looked like a Meowth who had just spotted a slow-moving Ratata. 

"Well, _this_ is interesting," he said. "Perhaps the Rockets aren't as gone as all that." 

"What do you mean?" asked Aurora. 

"According to my little friends here," Morty replied, "We have a most distinguished visitor. It seems Giovanni himself has decided to pay us a visit. This is too good an opportunity to pass up. Would you like to meet him?" 

The girls look at each other, surprised. Then Laine shrugged. 

"Sure. Why not?" 

~*~

The Burnt Tower didn't look like a place of legends. It looked like a wreck, little more than burned and dilapidated beams and broken stones, the whole of it overgrown with weeds and surrounded by ominous-looking warning signs. Ember ignored the warnings, climbing over a fence and threading his way inside, pushing past a few loose boards and crawling into the structure itself. It was dark and dusty inside, with a scent of mold and soot that made his nose itch. He waited long enough for his vision to adjust before moving onward. The floorboards had long ago rotted away, leaving gaping holes and threatening sags that he avoided, walking carefully near the wall where the footing was best. 

"There's got to be a better way," he muttered, brushing cobwebs away from his face. "How do they get in? Not from here, that's for certain. There's got to be another entrance somewhere... Oh, well. I'll find it once I find _them_. It's so quiet. Where is everyone?" 

"Downstairs, naturally," said a voice. "Or at least, they were." 

Ember jumped. "Who said that?" 

"You have a very short memory, nephew," said Giovanni, stepping out of a shadowed corner. "I'm glad to see you at least have not forgotten how to seek out your own kind. I was hoping you would turn up here eventually." 

"Uncle," said Ember. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in hiding somewhere? Or maybe hanging around Blackthorn hoping Clair will notice you?" 

"That's no way to speak to your family, Ember," Giovanni replied. "You are learning bad habits. I see I was right to worry about you - obviously you are not yet ready to strike out on your own." 

"I've been doing just fine on my own, thank you," answered Ember curtly. 

"Really? What on Earth have you been doing all this time?" 

"Challenging Gyms. I've got three Badges already, and I'll be pocketing the fourth soon, if no more distractions show up." 

"Yes, I've been meaning to talk to you about these distractions," Giovanni replied. "Especially that girl you've been following around. You are the future leader of Team Rocket - it is beneath your dignity to be socializing with trainers." 

"Look who's talking. You're the one who went to Clair looking to make deals. What makes you so special?" 

"That is an entirely different situation," he said. "That is a business proposition. You have abandoned all your duties to wander around the countryside acting as if you were a trainer yourself, collecting Badges like a schoolboy." 

"You collected Badges," said Ember. 

"Because there was nothing else at the time. I've given you a better way, and you've rejected it." 

"You didn't give me a better way," Ember snapped. "You gave me your way, whether it suited me or not. I'm going to live my life my way." 

"As if you knew better than your elders. Either you drop all this foolishness and return to Blackthorn with me, or I'm sending you back to your parents. Someone else can be my heir." 

"A copy," said Ember. "You don't want an heir, you want a copy. You see your reign coming to an end, so you're trying to turn me into a copy of you so the legacy will go on. You want me to be Giovanni and my child after me to be Giovanni - you just want to go on forever, don't you?" 

"I want my empire to last." 

"So do I," Ember replied. "I want to make it something better than it is. If you give me that power, I'll use it, but I'll do things my own way." 

"You are starting to think too much of yourself, I believe," said Giovanni. "This needs to be remedied. You are coming with me. Now." 

"Actually," said a new voice, "I think it might be fun if you both hung around for a while." 

Ember and Giovanni turned to look. Standing nearby was Morty, surrounded by his swirling cloud of ghosts, their eyes glittering evilly in the dim light. Behind him stood Aurora, Scar, and Laine. 

"You," said Giovanni, narrowing his eyes. "What are you doing here?" 

"This is my territory," Morty replied. "I don't see why I should come here, especially when I know one of my old friends has come to visit. Hello, Giovanni. It's been a while, hasn't it?" 

"It's been a few years, yes," he replied. "Be that as it may, it's rude of you to interrupt a private discussion." 

"I'm a spy, Giovanni. I don't care about privacy," Morty answered with his crafty smile. "So, this must be the nephew I've heard so much about. Ember, is it? The name certainly suits. Hello, Ember. Good to meet you in person." 

"Should I know you?" Ember asked. 

"Morty. Leader of the Ecruteak Gym. Ghost Master. I hear you're interested in collecting Badges." 

"That's right," Ember replied. "Provided a certain someone doesn't interfere..." 

"Morty, don't you dare challenge this boy," said Giovanni. "He is mine, and I am not letting him carry on with this nonsense any longer." 

"And what if I do?" Morty replied. 

"Then I will be forced to put a stop to it personally." 

"Do you think you can stop us?" asked Morty. 

"I can take you on." 

"I said _us_. Or did you think these young ladies are only here as spectators?" 

Giovanni glared at the girls. "They are no threat." 

"You seemed to think so before," Aurora replied. "Or did you just try to capture me because you were bored?" 

"So, you're the one, then. I can't believe you're the one causing all this upheaval... Ember, is this silly little girl really what all this fuss is about?" 

Ember shrugged. "I've seen her around a few times if that's what you mean. She's more talented than she looks. I wouldn't take her lightly if I were you." 

"An' what am I, diced Snubbull food?" Laine muttered. 

"Maybe I couldn't match you alone," said Morty, "but it would be a very close fight, and with these two helping... and I don't think your nephew is going to take this lying down, either. Make an issue of this, and I think you'll find yourself facing some unhappy odds." 

"Why are you standing up for the boy?" Giovanni demanded. "He's none of your concern." 

Morty smiled enigmatically. "Let's just say I admire his spirit." 

"He's right, you know," said Ember. "I will fight you if that's what it takes." 

"So will I," said Aurora. "Ember has the right to decide what he wants to do with his life... and I wouldn't mind fighting you if it will help him." 

"Eh, count me in," said Laine. "Jerks like you deserve to be beaten a few times just on general principle." 

Giovanni looked at all of them speculatively. Suddenly he made a lunge in Aurora's direction, looking as if he intended to take her apart with his bare hands. He was thwarted by a ball of black feathers that flung itself into his face, screeching and flapping its wings, pecking and scratching. He staggered backwards, trying to beat the creature away. The Murkrow fluttered away, landing at Aurora's feet. 

"Hail Giovanni! Hail Giovanni! Haw haw haw haw!" it laughed. 

Giovanni glared at the black bird, brushing feathers away from his face. 

"Fine," he said. "If that's the way it's going to be, fine. I can afford to wait. Team Rocket will come out of the shadows when you least expect it, and then you will get what you deserve. You will regret the day you made a fool of me. And as for you..." He rounded on Ember. "You are out. Expelled. You are no longer part of Team Rocket. You may make your way any way you please - I wash my hands of you." 

With that, he turned and stalked off. Nobody tried to stop him. 

"Get lost!" Blabberbeak shouted after him. 

"Doesn' look like he likes his ol' boss too much," Laine commented. 

"I don't blame him," Aurora replied. "That was a brave thing you did. Thank you." 

Blabberbeak stood on her foot and rubbed his head against her leg. "Aurora!" 

"I think it likes you," said Morty. "That's unusual, even for someone with avian affinities. Murkrows aren't an affectionate breed." 

"Get lost!" Blabberbeak responded. 

"Now, see here," Aurora told him. "If you're going to follow me, you're going to learn some manners, is that understood?" 

"Murk, murk, murkrow," he replied. 

"Well, all right, maybe sometimes," said Aurora. 

"Murkrow!" 

"Okay, it's a deal," she said. "Here you go - hop in!" 

She produced a Pokeball, and the Murkrow flapped inside and vanished in a burst of light. Aurora snapped the ball shut and clipped it to her belt, looking pleased with herself. 

"Well, aren't you clever," said Ember. "Now that you've finished helping me lose the only family I have..." 

Aurora looked up at him, blushing with embarrassment. "But I thought you wanted-" 

"I did," he said, "to an extent. You just didn't have to help. It was my argument. What were you doing interfering?" 

"We never intended to interfere," said Morty. "It was just too good an opportunity to pass up." 

Ember sighed. "Lovely. Just what I needed - more crazy Gym Leaders messing with my life." 

"Would this make you feel any better?" Morty asked. He held out a hand, offering a small shiny bit of metal. 

"A Badge?" asked Ember warily. "What would that be for? We haven't battled." 

"You were fighting Giovanni, weren't you? He used to be a senior Gym Leader - higher ranking than me - before things went downhill for him," Morty replied. "Besides, I think you deserve it. It took strength of will to stand up for what you believe in. My ghosts say you have pride and strength of character. You're worthy of the Badge. You're going a long way, Ember." 

"Just take it," Laine advised him, when he looked wary. "Morty's just weird like that. He gave Rora a Badge without fightin', too." 

"Very well," said Ember. "If you want to go around handing out free Badges, I won't complain. After all, it's a Rocket's nature to cheat... and that's what I am, no matter what Uncle Giovanni says." 

"What are you going to do now?" asked Aurora. She couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for Ember; she had a notion his feelings were hurt more than he was letting on. 

"I'm going to keep going," Ember replied. "Uncle's playing a dangerous game. Sooner or later, he's going to slip up. He's losing his grip, and when he does, I have to be strong so I can step in and keep order. I'm going to finish collecting the Badges so I'll be able to handle anything." 

"An admirable sentiment," said Morty. "I wish good luck to all three of you... and if you want any advice, I'd tell you to stay here for the night. The spiritual vibrations are still very strong here. You may find yourself having insights you never would have had otherwise. And now I must return to my Gym. Goodbye and farewell. Perhaps I will see you again sometime." 

He glided away, moving like a ghost himself, and faded into the shadows. The trainers looked at each other. 

"Well?" said Laine. "Whaddaya think? Do we listen to that creepy guy? I don' know if I like the idea of spendin' the night in a haunted house." 

"I'm not afraid," said Aurora. "Like I said, I don't believe in all that creepy stuff... but this place is probably pretty safe. If the other Rockets are afraid of it, they probably won't bother us down here. What about you, Ember? Are you going to stay here tonight?" 

Ember shrugged. "Why not?" 

~*~

It was very dark in the lowest part of the Burnt Tower, but that was where Ember insisted they'd be safest - there was less chance that the floor would cave in underneath them as they slept. It was also hard to deny that there was a _presence_ in the place, a feeling of oldness and power that even Aurora couldn't quite deny. They set out their blankets, the girls in one corner of the room and Ember in another, and dropped one by one into deep sleeps. 

At first, Aurora's dreams were confused. In them, she stood in a great hall full of people in cloaks. Many of them couldn't be seen, but she recognized some as being great trainers, even Gym Leaders. She muddled through the crowd, trying to keep from being noticed, and realized that she, too, was wearing a hooded cloak. 

"There's a traitor in our midst," said Morty's voice. "There is a traitor among us. One of us can't be trusted." 

Aurora looked around, trying to see who was talking, but everyone looked the same. She began to feel desperate - somewhere in all these strangers, surely there was a familiar face. Falkner! She felt certain if she could just get to Falkner, everything would be all right. Falkner was her friend, and so wise, he could surely protect her. She peered into every face, but saw nothing but shadows. She started to run, shoving through the crowd, not knowing where she was going, only becoming increasingly aware of a sense of hostility. Suddenly, a hand reached out and grabbed her, and she found herself being pulled around to stare into a pair of dark eyes. Clair was looking at her, a wild expression on her face, her red lips pulled into a maniacal grin. 

"Caught you," she hissed. "You thought you would challenge me? You will never be powerful enough, ever. Even the power of legends won't save you, child. Even the power of legends." 

"She caught her!" someone shouted. "She's caught the traitor!" 

Aurora twisted and tried to run, and the dream world twisted along with her and spun into a new reality. 

Suddenly she was in a room by herself, a wide empty hall identical to Clair's Gym except that it was made entirely of blue-white ice. Clair stood at the far end of the room, flanked by two Dragonites. There was going to be a battle, and Aurora knew she should be afraid; a small part of her remembered that she still hadn't collected all the Badges, and she wasn't nearly ready for this, but her dream self was only determined and angry. Aurora could never remember being so angry - it filled her with a cold power as fierce as the ice itself. She raised her hand and opened a Pokeball, releasing a glittering bird unlike anything she'd ever seen before. Even as she stared at it, though, its outlines shifted and began to change into something else. Aurora blinked, trying to see more clearly... 

And she woke up. A glance at her Poke-Gear told her it was morning, and she cold see that her comrades were already yawning and starting to stir. 

"Don't go away..." Laine murmured sleepily. She blinked and looked around. "Huh? Only a dream..." 

"That," said Ember, "was entirely strange." 

"I guess I'm not the only one who had weird dreams," Aurora said. 

"It wasn' a dream," said Laine stubbornly. "It was... was a _vision_, that's what it was. I saw him, Rora. I really saw him, an' I talked to him." 

"Talked to who?" asked Ember. "Winter-Hair, what _is_ your friend going on about?" 

"I think," said Aurora slowly, "she's talking about her father." 

Laine nodded. "He was talkin' to me. It was the same dream again, Rora, the one where he's in the mountains and I'm there with 'im, only this time he wasn't dyin'. He asked me to walk with 'im, and we went up a trail together. There was snow everywhere - everythin' was ice and snow. Then we walked around a corner an' we were standin' on top of the mountain, and there was this nest all made outta icicles, an' there was an egg in it. It was the snow egg, Rora, the one my dad wrote about. He wanted to show it to me... When I looked at it, this beautiful bird came out. I never saw anything like it before. It was all made outta ice, just like the egg..." 

"I dreamed about that!" Aurora exclaimed. "I dreamed I was fighting with Clair, and I called out a bird just like that!" 

"It must be real!" Laine exclaimed. "I betcha we're gonna find that egg! You'll be able to talk to the bird, Rora. You've got the gift, right?" 

"Maybe," said Aurora. "We'll never know unless we look... What about you, Ember? Did you have any dreams?" 

"I did," he answered. "I dreamed I walked into an empty Gym. There was nothing in it but a Dratini, beaten and bleeding and nearly dead, but when I touched it, it was healed. Someone told me it was mine." He stared off into space, his expression distant. Then he snapped back to reality. "Dragons and birds of ice... It seems all our destinies really are intertwined. It will be interesting to see where I meet you next." 

"You're leaving again?" asked Aurora. 

"Of course I am. To start following you around would be to admit defeat, and I am never doing that," he replied. "So long, Winter-Hair. Hope to see you in Cianwood." 

"Oh, well. See you later, Fire-Top," Aurora replied. "Good luck with your uncle." 

"Thank you. Good luck with Clair. You'll need it," he replied. 

The girls were quiet as Ember made his exit. Laine still didn't seem to have completely left her dream, and Aurora was feeling a little sorry to see him go. She was starting to think she actually liked Ember. 

*_He will be a good leader, someday. Who knows? Maybe with him in charge, being a Rocket might even be something to be proud of, and that's more than his uncle ever did._* 

"You know, we ought to be hitting the road again, too," she said to Laine. "You might want to start packing up your things." 

"Hm? Oh, sure," Laine replied, and began mechanically folding her blankets. 

"Spear, spearow?" Scar asked. 

"She'll be all right," answered Aurora. "I think she just needs a little time to think." 

She gathered her belongings and transported them back to computer storage, preparing to make her way out of the dark building and into daylight. Scar flapped along behind her, eager to see the sky again, but Laine lingered. She looked out into the shadows of the dark room. 

"Thanks, Dad," she said. "Don't you worry. I'll finish your work and make you proud. You'll see." 

Then, smiling, she set out to follow her friends. 


	7. Stage Seven - A Frightful Experience

**

Stage Seven - A Frightful Experience

** **

By: SilvorMoon

**

"Tilt you head a little to the left... no, more than that! That's it!" 

_This is undignified,_ Rusty complained, but he obediently bent his neck, tilting his head until he was nearly looking at the world upside-down. 

"I'm sorry," said Aurora, "but if you want me to get the rust off your feathers, you're going to have to cooperate a little. Of course, if it doesn't bother you..." 

_Go ahead,_ said the Skarmory grumpily. _You have no idea how much rust itches._

Aurora, her friend Laine, and their assorted Pokemon were currently relaxing on the side of a grassy slope, enjoying the sunny weather and a chance to relax a bit. They had left Ecruteak several miles and a few hours behind them, and were glad of it. Their stay in the city of ghosts had been anything but comfortable. In fact, the events that had occurred there had been so bewildering that the normally aloof Ember had chosen to take his breakfast with the girls rather than immediately strike out on his own. The morning meal had been a quiet one, with everyone wrapped up in their own thoughts, and they all seemed to be glad to be leaving the city and going their own ways again. 

*_I don't think I want to go back there anytime soon,_ Aurora reflected as she rubbed at a stubborn patch of rust on her Skarmory's neck. *_I'm sure Morty is a good person, but... he's not a _nice_ person. I just can't be comfortable around him, even if he is Falkner's friend. I hope the next Gym Leader is a little less unnerving. What I want now is a plain, ordinary Gym battle with no mysteries or weird brain games._* 

At least now everything was normal. Having left their young Rocket friend far behind (and hopefully any of his less friendly compatriots as well), they were now stopping to rest their feet and tend to their Pokemon. Aurora had decided that this was a good time to try out her Pokemon care kit, so she had released all her partners so they could be properly groomed. Laine, not wanting her own partners to be left out of the fun, had released them as well, and now all of them were scampering happily in the grass enjoying themselves. 

Scar had been the first to have his grooming session, and Aurora was pleased with the result. With his feathers smoothed, his claws trimmed and sharpened, and his beak filed, he looked less like a well-used feather duster and more like the fierce fighter he was. Blabberbeak the Murkrow had likewise been cleaned up after living who-knew-how long on his own. Now his feathers glistened like jet, and he seemed pleased with the result - he hadn't insulted anyone all afternoon. Not wanting to leave anyone out, Aurora had fished out her own hairbrush and gave her Umbreon, Moondancer, a thorough preening, making the foxlike creature purr with delight. Rusty, being the largest and most difficult case, had been saved for last, and now Aurora was keeping quite busy with a bottle of oil, a wire brush, and some metal polish. It was hard work, but she felt proud of herself; his formerly rust-spotted wings were now polished so brightly they could be used for mirrors, and his beak and claws had been filed to razor-sharpness. Now if she could just get those last few tricky spots on his neck... 

"Need a hand, there?" Laine asked. She was relaxing in the shade, using her Slowpoke as a pillow, watching Nova as he went through his karate practice. Her newfound Gastly, which she'd taken to calling Spook, hovered nearby, making faces at him. Sunset the Espeon was playing tag with her sister in the grass and undoing all Aurora's hard work with the hairbrush. 

"No, I'm fine. I'll be done in just a minute," Aurora replied. "Thanks anyway, though." 

"No prob," Laine drawled. "I'm just gettin' bored sittin' here doin' nothin'. I wanna hit the road again. Where are we goin' next?" 

Aurora gave the matter due consideration as she rubbed at another flake of rust. "Well, I think we have two options - Jasmine's Gym in Olivine or Chuck's Gym in Cianwood. They're both about the same level, as far as difficulty goes, so it probably doesn't matter which one I try first." 

"Jasmine, huh? She's the one Morty said he likes," Laine commented. Hear she trains Steel-types. Those are rare - and tough." 

_Nice to hear I'm appreciated,_ said Rusty smugly. 

"That's true," said Aurora. "And Chuck trains Fighting-types. Those are weak against Flying-types but strong against Dark and Steel-types... and that sums up what I've got to work with. But Rusty and Blabberbeak are both pretty tough in their own right, so if I play them right, I can still probably win without too much trouble, and get them all some experience before I go up against Jasmine. She's going to be hard to deal with no matter what I do... Nova and your Slowpoke would have a better time facing her than I would. Are you sure I can't borrow them for a while?" 

"Chop, chop, machop!" said Nova, sounding annoyed. 

"I think she was kiddin'," Laine told him. "Though it might be fun to fight her myself just to see how you do 'gainst Jasmine." 

"Chop, chop, chop!" Nova boasted, flexing his muscles. 

"Yeah, that's what you say. Be you'd turn tail soon as you caught sight of that Steelix she's got." 

The two of them went into a round of good-natured bantering, and Aurora listened in with some amusement as she went on with her scrubbing. She'd heard Laine talking to all of her Pokemon, and they seemed to communicate reasonably well, but none of them talked back to her with the same ease Nova did. She wondered if there was a reason for it. 

*_Come to think of it, those Machops from the forest fire got on with her pretty well, too. I wonder if she's got an affinity she doesn't know about?_* 

"There," she told Rusty, putting down her scrub brush with relief. "I think that should do it." 

_Thank goodness for that,_ Rusty replied, straightening his neck. He flapped his wings, making them clash like cymbals, but at least they didn't screech the way they had before she'd oiled them. _You do good work, even if you do take your time getting to it._

"Well, we've been busy lately," said Aurora, shrugging slightly in embarrassment. "What with Rockets and ghosts and who knows what else. Anyway, now that everyone's clean - or cleaner," she added, with a glance at Moondancer and Sunset, "we can hit the road again." 

"Made up your mind where you're goin', then?" asked Laine, obligingly putting her Slowpoke back into his Pokeball. 

"Cianwood," Aurora said. 

"That's what I reckoned," answered Laine with a grin. "Ember told you he'd see you in Cianwood." 

Aurora flushed crimson. "That is not why I'm going there! I'm going because I still need some experience before I go against Jasmine. Besides, I really need a Fly HM, too, and that's the only place I can get one." 

"Ahhh," said Laine, in tones of great understanding. "Whatever you say." 

"You really need a boyfriend," Aurora muttered. "Then maybe you'll get off my case." 

"No way. I'm havin' too much fun pesterin' you," Laine replied with her manic grin. 

They collected their Pokemon and set out again. It was as warm and sunny as a summer day could be expected to be, without a single cloud in the intensely blue sky, and Scar showed off his sleek new look by soaring high above the girls' heads. It was breezy and cool up there, but on the ground, the trail was hot, dusty, and, as they drew nearer to the Ruins of Alph and the attending stone ridges, rocky. Laine, used to the rough and rooted terrain of the Ilex Forest, trudged along doggedly, showing no more signs of discomfort than pulling a bandanna over her head to keep the sun off her dark hair. Aurora had more difficulty, stumbling on the stray rocks that were half buried in the dust, once skinning her knee badly enough that they had to stop and bandage it. The noonday sun continued to beam down on her, making her shirt stick to her sweaty skin, and she fretted about sunburn. Finally she gave up and left the path, strolling instead in the shade of the trees that lined it. Even so, she was relieved when they reached a Pokemon center and decided to stop and cool off. 

"This heat really takes it out of you," Aurora commented, flopping into a chair and fanning her face with one hand. Scar perched next to her and fanned his wings. "Thanks! I needed that." 

"I knew ya had to run out of energy someday," Laine commented. "You thirsty? I'm thirsty. Lemme go see if they've got something to drink here." 

She ambled up to the front desk and was met by a cheery young man in a white uniform. He quickly appraised the Badges pinned to her shirt and asked what he could do to help her, making her smile faintly. She may not have been a serious trainer, but she was beginning to appreciate that Badges had their uses. Perhaps there was something in what Morty was saying about how people's ranks were determined by their ability to control Pokemon. She was more immediately interested in the fact that Pokemon centers would happily provide food, shelter, and medical attention to a trainer for free. He provided cold drinks for her and a bowl of water for Scar. 

"By the way," he remarked, "you haven't seen a Snorlax anywhere close by, have you?" 

Laine blinked. "Why? Ain't they kinda hard to lose?" 

"They usually are," the man replied, "but we've lost one anyway, sort of." 

"All right, I'll bite. How'd ya sort of lose a Snorlax?" 

"Well, you know there are Snorlaxes in these hills, right? A young one came down a few years ago, and somebody in the kitchen felt sorry for it and fed it. He got the idea that this was a good place to hang out, so he stayed all summer. In the fall when the berries and things get ripe, he goes back to the mountains and hibernates there all winter, but as soon as summer comes and food starts getting hard to find, he comes back here... only this year he hasn't." 

"Maybe he's just bein' slow," Laine suggested. "Snorlaxes aren' exactly known as speed demons. Besides, why are you worried? It's gotta be a lotta trouble, lookin' after a Snorlax all the time." 

"It is, but... we have gotten kind of attached to the old boy," said the man, looking a bit embarrassed. "I hope he's just found a good trainer somewhere, but... there have been whispers about Rockets in this area lately. A few dead Pokemon have been found nearby. Snorlax pelts are worth a lot to the right buyer. And like you said, it's really hard to just lose a Snorlax..." 

Laine frowned. "When you put it like that... Well, I hope he shows up soon." 

"Me too. If you see him anywhere, send us a note, would you? I hate worrying." 

"If I see any Snorlaxes, I'll let you know," she replied. "Thanks for the drinks. See ya round." 

She went back to the chair were Aurora was recovering and handed her a glass of juice before dropping into the seat next to her, setting the bowl of water on the floor for Scar. 

"You're gonna hafta talk to your buddy Ember," she said. 

"Oh?" said Aurora. "What's the problem now?" 

Laine explained about the disappearing Snorlax, while Aurora listened with an expression of outrage. 

"Don't they ever quit?" she exclaimed. 

"You're the one who told me they just move somewhere else every time ya try to stomp 'em out," Laine reminded her. 

"I know that," said Aurora. "I'm just so _tired_ of things like that happening. Bad enough the way they treat their own partners, but to take a Pokemon that someone else cares about and - and - I don't even want to think about what they're doing, but-" 

"All right, all right, don' get your shorts all bunched up," Laine interjected. "I know what you're sayin' an' I don' like it either, but losin' your temper won' help." 

Aurora sighed. "I know. It just makes me so mad. I wish Ember really was in charge of the Rockets. He may not be much, but at least he takes care of his Pokemon, and I don't think he'd let his followers abuse them, either. I bet that's what he and his uncle were fighting about." 

"Could be," said Laine. "Well, keep your chin up. For all we know, that Snorlax is just holed up in a nice cool cave somewhere and can't be bothered to wake up. You know they get lazier when they get older. Maybe he just didn' feel like makin' the trip this year." 

"Maybe," Aurora replied. She didn't sound completely convinced, but she did sound a little more cheerful. 

They finished their drinks in thoughtful silence and left. The hot air outside was like a punch in the stomach after being inside the cool building for so long, momentarily taking Aurora's breath away. They walked slowly, picking their way across the steadily roughening terrain. The trail narrowed to nothing more than a thin track, somewhat overgrown in places and scattered with rocks. Laine kicked one and watched it bounce away, ricocheting off a few other stones. 

"These haven' been here long," she commented, picking one up and looking at it. "Looks like it just broke off yesterday, look." 

"You're right," Aurora replied. "If they'd been here very long, they would have trampled down or kicked out of the way or something, wouldn't they?" 

Laine nodded and looked around. The path was winding between two sloping walls of stone that reached more than a dozen yards above their heads. There wasn't any immediate evidence of anything that might have precipitated a rockslide, but it was hard to see what might be lurking at the top of the ridge. She suddenly felt very enclosed as she imagined what would happen if another wave of rocks fell down while they were standing there. Even as she was thinking about that, she heard the sound of a distant roar. 

"What was that?" she yelped. 

"I don't know," Aurora answered, sounding nervous. "Should we go look?" 

"I've got a better idea," Laine replied. "Make Scar go look." 

Aurora looked affronted. "I'm not sending him to get eaten!" 

"He won' get eaten. He's got wings. He can get away a heck of a lot faster than we could if we went an' looked." 

"Good point. Now if you could just convince him of that..." 

Scar appeared to be listening to their conversation with a sour expression. However, after a moment of consideration, listening to the distant noise and sniffing the air, he flapped off into the sky, while the girls huddled nervously together and waited. He returned a few minutes later, squawking. 

"What's he sayin'? What's he sayin'?" asked Laine eagerly. 

"I think it's safe," Aurora answered. "He wants us to come look at something, but he won't tell me what. I think he thinks it's funny." 

"Funny? What's funny out here?" asked Laine in confusion. 

Aurora shrugged. "Guess we should go look and see." 

They followed Scar up the path, creeping carefully around bends in the canyon, listening as the sound of bellowing became louder and closer. They rounded one last bend and stopped. They stared. Laine laughed. 

"Well, that explains it all, doesn' it?" she said. 

Wedged tightly between the walls of the chasm was a Snorlax, roaring with all his might as he struggled to free himself. It appeared that the gap had once been wide enough to just barely allow him to pass, but a recent rockslide had narrowed the passage so that now he would no longer fit. He'd tried anyway and succeeded only in getting tightly stuck. Laine stepped carefully forward, easily avoiding his uselessly flailing paws. Aurora followed. 

"Poor thing," she said. "I wonder how long he's been stuck here?" 

"Prob'ly not too long," Laine replied. "Otherwise he'd have either shouted himself hoarse or gotten skinny enough to fit through. Or someone else would have found him." 

"Well, now we've found him," said Aurora. "What are we going to do about him?" 

Laine shrugged. "Well, he's in our way. Let's move him. Nova, front and center! Got a job for ya." 

Nova was freed from his Ball and leaped forward with a flash of light, eager to show off his talents. Laine gave him his instructions, and he went to work tossing rocks here and there, splintering boulders into heaps of rubble with swift karate chops. Within a few moments, he'd widened the gap enough that the Snorlax could squeeze through. He landed on all fours and shook himself like a cat, muttering his basso profundo voice. 

"There ya go!" Laine told him. "Safe 'n' sound. Just another victory for Elaine Harvester. Good work, Nova. In ya go." She collected her Pokemon and turned her gaze on the Snorlax. "Well? What're ya waitin' for? Get goin' already." 

The Snorlax mumbled sleepily. Reaching out one pudgy arm, he grabbed Laine and scooped her into a bear hug, nearly losing her in its embrace. She gave a muffled squeal through his thick fur, and Aurora giggled. 

"Hey, lemme go!" Laine shouted, wiggling her way out of his arms and sliding back to solid ground. "Oy! First Nova, now this guy. What am I, some kinda Pokemon cover girl?" 

"I think he's just saying thank you," answered Aurora, still trying to stifle a smile. 

"Yeah, well, he'd better be," Laine muttered. The Snorlax muttered unhappily and slowly rolled over so it could look at her better. "What are you starin' at?" 

The Snorlax muttered again, and Scar translated for Aurora. 

"He's looking at your Badges, I think," she said. "He's impressed that you're a trainer and you haven't tried to capture him." 

"Was I supposed to?" Laine replied. 

Aurora shrugged. "Well, they are kind of a prize. They're strong fighters if you can get them to listen to you, and they're pretty rare. I've never seen one in the wild before, have you?" 

"Not really," asked Laine thoughtfully. She appraised the Snorlax thoughtfully. "Whatsa matter? Don' you like trainers?" 

The Snorlax muttered, and again the translation was relayed through Aurora. 

"He doesn't like people capturing him and trying to make him fight all the time," she explained. "He'd rather sleep." 

Laine laughed. "I don' blame him a bit there! Fightin's too much work to be doin' it all the time." 

Mutter, mutter. 

"He wants to know why you're a trainer if you don't like fighting." 

"Oh, I'm not a serious trainer," Laine explained. "I just kinda picked these up while I was traveling. Lucky, that's all." 

Mutter, mumble, mutter. 

"He wants to know if he can come with you," said Aurora. "That way he'll have someone to take care of him who won't make him fight all the time." 

Mumble, mutter. 

"And he promises he'll repay you by protecting you if you really need it." 

Laine grinned. "Good deal! Welcome aboard, Roadblock." 

She opened a Pokeball, and the Snorlax disappeared in a ball of reddish light. She snapped the lid shut and looked pleased with herself. 

"This'll be cool," she said. "Dad's notes didn' say much about Snorlaxes. They're a lot more common in Kanto than here. Just hope I don' have to rely on you to translate for me forever." 

"I'm sure you'll learn," Aurora replied. "Can we go now? I don't like it here. I keep thinking rocks are going to fall down on my head." 

"Same here," agreed Laine. "I wonder where they came from? You'd think somebody woulda warned us if they were a regular thing." 

"Then maybe they aren't," said Aurora thoughtfully. "Maybe there's something going on... up there." 

She pointed, and Laine looked speculatively up at the top of the ridge. 

"Maybe," she said Laine. "Let me guess, you wanna go look, right?" 

Aurora shrugged. "How else are we going to find out?" 

"Well, we could just walk on by and let someone else worry about it." 

"But that wouldn't be right," said Aurora. "Someone else could get hurt - another Pokemon, or a human. Do you really want to walk away now and find out that someone else got hurt or killed in a rockslide that you might have been able to prevent?" 

Laine scowled. "When ya put it that way... what choice have I got? Hang on, I think I've got some rope in here somewhere." 

She rummaged through her Pokegear and pulled out a coil of Escape Rope, which Scar was able to loop around a solidly anchored rock so they could climb up. Aurora, being lighter, climbed up first, and Laine complained that she was kicking pebbles onto her head. Finally they both managed to scramble up onto the ledge and have a look around. 

A path seemed to have been delved into the side of the ridge where no path had been before - there were still marks in the rocks that looked like they had been made by picks, and the dusty path showed signs of tire tracks. Bits of metal were scattered here and there, glinting faintly in the sun, and scraps of multicolored wires could be seen snaking past the scattered stones. 

"Is it just me," said Aurora, "or does this look really familiar?" 

"Rockets," Laine muttered. "Shoulda known! Why do they turn up everywhere we go?" 

"They're making another big play," Aurora said thoughtfully. "Giovanni's last grasp for power - he's going to win this time or lose everything trying..." 

"And we keep turnin' up and derailin' his plans," Laine finished. "First in Ilex, now in Ecruteak. And I suppose you want us to do it again, huh?" 

"What else can we do?" 

"We can keep on goin' and pretend we never saw a thing," Laine suggested. "You can send a message to someone who can deal with it better than us. Girl, the Rockets are out to get you. You can't just go walkin' into their base and expect to come out alive." 

"I can't leave knowing I didn't even try." 

Laine rolled her eyes. "You're such an idealist. Have I told you that? No wonder you wanna be a Gym Leader - you think you have to save everyone from their problems. I got news for you, girl - you've only been a trainer like a week, and you've got four Pokemon to your name. There's only so much you can do." 

"Um," said Aurora. "Maybe you're right. All right - can we at least go and have a look? We haven't seen anything yet but junk and rocks. No point in getting everyone up in arms over a false alarm." 

"All right," said Laine. "But let's make it quick, 'kay?" 

Moving carefully, they crept up the trail, following the tracks of tires and footprints. It sloped upwards, occasionally passing what looked like the entrances to hastily dug caves, shored up by rough wooden beams. Here and there they found evidence that Pokemon had been there as well - a Cubone's helmet, cracked in half, the tip of a Scyther's blade, and other things that Aurora tried not to look to hard at. Pity and anger made her feel sick as she thought of the poor creatures that had been worked until they dropped to make the road she was walking on now, only to have their bodies tossed aside like trash. She averted her eyes from a crumpled form that had once been a Parasect, forcing herself to keep her eyes on the trail and nothing else. 

"Hey, Rora," said Laine, cutting into her thoughts. "C'mere and look at this." 

"Whatever it is, I don't want to look at it." 

"No, really - I think this one's still alive." 

"Huh?" 

Aurora scampered over to where her friend was waiting, looking down at what appeared to be a heap of bluish fur crumpled among some rocks. She crept closer - and then froze, realizing what Laine had found. 

"That's a bat," she said. 

Laine nodded. "A Golbat. Aw, c'mon, Rora, don't tell me you're going to go all chicken on me now. It can't hurt you." 

Aurora stared. She'd been terrified of bats ever since she was a little child, and Golbats were the worst - great, wide-mouthed, shrieking, fanged gluttons, known for latching onto their prey and draining it dry. There had been a time when she'd been plagued by nightmares of being caught in a swarm of them, feeling their wings beating at her and expecting at any moment to feel their sharp little teeth sinking into her neck... but Laine was right. This one wasn't going to hurt her; it was nearly dead itself, but not completely. Coming to kneel next to it, she could see that its chest still rose and fell weakly. She put out a hesitant hand and touched the fur on its back, finding it to be warm and surprisingly soft. Encouraged, she stroked it again with a little more confidence - and jumped as the creature moved. 

"Gol..." it said weakly. 

Very slowly, it turned its head so its eyes could meet hers. They were hazed and unfocused with pain. 

"Poor thing," she heard herself say. "He hurts so much..." 

Laine elbowed her. "Then do somethin' about it!" 

"Oh, yeah. Right. Hang on." 

She began going through her PokeGear, searching for something she could use to help him, and found nothing more than a couple of Potions. They wouldn't do much more than take the edge off his pain, but they were all she had. She took them out and began carefully turning the Golbat over so she could reach its wide mouth. When he was comfortably resettled, she uncorked the bottle and began tipping the contents down his throat, and he drank eagerly. While he did so, she examined his injuries; one of his wings appeared to be broken, he was battered and cut all over, and she had a notion he hadn't had anything to eat or drink for at least a day. 

"He's hurt worse than I can take care of," she said. "What he really needs is a long stay in a Pokemon center. Have you got something we can carry him in?" 

"'Course I do. Hang on a minute," Laine replied. 

She dug through her Gear and hauled out her trusty old bag, as well as her first-aid kit. The two girls went about binding his wing to his side so it wouldn't be hurt any worse than it was, and then they settled him into the bag with only his eyes peeking out. Much to Aurora's surprise, he didn't try to struggle or bite at all, but kept his eyes fixed trustingly on hers the whole time. 

"It'll be okay," she told him. "You just hang in there. We're going to get you to a Pokemon center, and they'll make you all better." 

"Gol..." it whimpered. 

"There," said Laine, pulling the zipper of the bag closed snugly around him. "That oughta do it. Let's get outta this creepy place." 

"Not so fast," said a rough voice above their heads. 

The girls looked up and found an extremely ugly man leering down at them, his crooked teeth bared in a nasty grin. He was dressed in a Rocket's black uniform and looked just a little too pleased to see them. 

"Well, isn't this nice?" he said. "A couple of visitors... and if I'm not much mistaken, you're that silver-haired girl the boss-lady is lookin' for. What're you doin', pokin' around up here, huh?" 

"Um... just leaving!" she said anxiously, scrambling to her feet, holding her arms protectively in front of the Golbat. 

"Oh, I don't think so," the Rocket replied. "You're staying here with me! Machoke! Get over here!" 

Down from the rocks leapt a scarred and muscle-bound Machoke, its face twisted into a snarl, before Aurora could react, it had jumped forward and caught her in a strangle hold, and she struggled for air. Scar flapped around, trying to find a way to attack without harming his trainer in the process. Out of her line of sight, she could hear Laine shouting and the Rocket bellowing, but it sounded like Laine was getting the worst of it - there was just no way an eleven-year-old girl could outfight a strong man on a narrow ledge. 

"Scar!" she shouted. "Get out of here! Go get help!" 

"Spear, spear!" 

"I'll be okay! Just go!" 

With one final peck at the Machoke, he flew off, screeching the things he would do to the Rocket if this had been a fair fight. Aurora had only seconds to watch him fly off before a heavy fist struck her temple, and her world dissolved into darkness. 

~*~

Moving across the dusty earth was a small blue speck that moved like a human. Scar, intent on his mission, gave it a sharp stare, considering whether or not this figure could provide the help he'd been sent to get. He didn't trust humans as a general rule, but he also knew he didn't have any time to waste and didn't have the luxury to be picky. Then he saw the figure take off its hat to wipe its sweating brow, and Scar saw a flash of familiar red hair. 

Ember was startled to see a large brown bird drop out of the sky to land in front of him, screeching at the top of its lungs. For a moment, he was tensed to attack, but then he recognized the familiar scar. 

"You again!" he said. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you with your annoying trainer?" 

"Spear, spear, spear!" 

"Don't bother, bird. I don't understand your squawkings." 

"Spear, spear, spearow!" Scar insisted. He grabbed at Ember's coat and began trying to drag him. 

"Hey, where are you going? Cut that out!" Ember protested, tugging himself free. "What is with you today? And where is that girl? Shouldn't you be following her?" 

Scar made an exasperated noise, giving Ember a look that said only too clearly what an idiot the bird thought he was. Ember stared. 

"Wait a minute," he said. "She's gone and gotten herself in trouble, is that it?" 

"Spear!" 

"And you want me to go bail her out." 

"Spear!" 

"Nothing doing," said Ember, turning to walk away. "She got herself into the mess, she can get herself out." 

He made it only a few paces before he found himself blocked. Scar had hopped in front of him and stretched out his wings, showing off his freshly sharpened claws and beak. Ember tried to get past him, but the bird was too quick for him. He sighed with exasperation. 

"You crazy bird," he said. "Look - it is not my problem. I am not required to help her out. It has nothing to do with me." 

Scar was thoughtful for a moment. Then he began scratching in the dirt with one claw, making a clumsy but recognizable representation of a letter "R" in the dust. 

"Rockets," Ember muttered. "Lovely. Well, they don't want anything to do with me. I shouldn't bother... but if _they've_ got her... All right, bird, you win. Where is she?" 

Scar shrieked and rose into the air again, circling over Ember's head for a moment before sailing up the road again, with the boy running at top speed below him. 

~*~

Aurora rose slowly back to consciousness. The first things she was conscious of were a splitting headache and terrible stench, and the combined effect made her stomach roll. She swallowed back a wave of nausea and tried to force her eyes to focus. 

She found herself in a dark room, half-sitting against a cold metal wall. Her wrists and ankles were bound tightly with a rough rope, and pulling at it did nothing more than wake up stinging pains from where it chafed her skin. There was a gag tied around her face, making it hard to breathe. She looked around for Laine and spied her on the other end of the room, still unconscious. They'd tied her up as well, but she wasn't as tightly trussed as Aurora was. The bag with the Golbat rested next to her. Aurora wondered why she'd been separated from them. She remembered how the Rocket had mentioned that she was the one they were looking for and felt sick all over again. 

*_Laine was right, and so was Ember - I am putting myself in danger. They're out to get me, and I don't even know why, because they won't tell me. Maybe I really should give it up and go home... It'll be a shame, but it's better than being dead... though it looks like I'm not going to get a lot of choice now._* 

To distract herself from that morbid thought, she began trying to get a look at the rest of her surroundings. What she saw was not encouraging. She was in a room with a number of wire cages of varying sizes, all stacked on top of each other like a child's building blocks. Each cage held at least one Pokemon, sometimes more, jammed in so tightly that some of them didn't have room to turn around. All of them were dirty, and even in the dim light, Aurora could see that they looked thin and underfed. Through an open door, she could just barely catch a glimpse of what appeared to be an operating table and some glinting metal machines and tools. She felt another wave of sickness wash over her, and she closed her eyes again. 

Perhaps she dozed, or simply stopped thinking for a while. When next she was aware of her surroundings, it was because she had overheard a pair of voices talking. She roused herself enough to pay attention. 

"...do it now, do you think?" one said. It was a male's, rather young-sounding and uncertain. 

"It could be advisable," the other answered. This one was also a man's, but deeper and more authoritative. "We have all the equipment necessary to deal with her easily. This is the perfect place." 

"I thought the boss-lady wanted to do it herself, though? Or at least have it done under her supervision." 

"She won't care as long as it's done and done soon. It will look more suspicious in a quiet place like Blackthorn than it will here. We'll do it quickly and dump her body at the bottom of the gorge. It will look as if she was killed in a rockslide, and that will be that." 

"What about the other girl? She'll know it wasn't a rockslide. We weren't given any instructions as to how to deal with her." 

"We'll kill her too, then! Honestly, I think your head would rattle if you shook it. It would be a nice, poetic ending for her. _Her_ father was finished off at the bottom of a gorge himself. That Marcus Harvester, always getting all the glory... _I_ had more creativity and daring than he ever did, but just because a few people didn't have the nerve to do more than look at Pokemon instead of really working with them... I was the one who opened them up to see what made them tick, and they called _me_ cruel and barbaric..." 

He trailed off into incoherent muttering. The other voice said something, interrupting him. 

"Well, of course you don't know," he snapped. "Before your time, most likely. He was a researcher who studied the ways of Pokemon in the field. Never worked in laboratories like a proper scientist. We kept an eye on him, though. He kept making big discoveries, and when he made the biggest find of his life, we were a step ahead of him. Some of our members followed him to the Ice Pass and tried to take his notes, but he put up more of a fight than we expected. He fell into the gorge and got himself buried in snow, and the stupid grunts couldn't be bothered to look for him properly. If they'd been able to get those notes it would have been one of Team Rocket's finest hours... but that's ancient history now. Now we must simply deal with two lost children. How boring." 

Aurora did not think any of this was boring at all. She was reeling, half from the shock of realizing her friend's father had been murdered by Rockets, and half from the dawning certainty that she and Laine were about to meet the same fate. Where was Scar? If he didn't hurry and get some help, it would soon be too late. Even as she was thinking that, she heard a door open, and heavy footsteps beginning to draw towards her. Wildly, she wondered if they were going to kill her quickly or draw it out, and what would happen to her Pokemon. However, before the footsteps reached her, there was another door-opening sound, and the footsteps stopped. 

"You," said the scientist in a surprised voice. "I wasn't told you would be coming here." 

"Nobody knew," a voice replied. Aurora's heart leapt as she recognized the voice - Ember! Surely he wouldn't let them kill her... would he? "I was told you had a certain young lady here as a captive, and I wanted to come see if the rumors were true." 

"Word travels fast," said the scientist. "In this case, you heard correctly. We've managed to capture the girl that our... illustrious helper is interested in." 

"I see," said Ember thoughtfully. "Would you mind if I had a look?" 

"Of course not. Follow me." 

Footsteps again, and more door sounds. Now she could hear people milling around in the room with her, and she took the risk of opening one eye a slit so she could see. A bearded man in spectacles and a long white coat was standing closest to the door, looking around with a proprietary air. Next to him was a round-faced young Rocket man. Between them was Ember. He appeared to be trying to keep his expression neutral, but she thought she could see a spark of anger in his eyes as he surveyed the cages. 

"What are all these?" he asked, gesturing at the captured Pokemon. 

"Research subjects, mostly," the scientist answered with pride. "A few of them will be dissected, and the rest will be used for transplants and gene-splicing experiments." 

"I see," answered Ember. "That's what I thought." 

"I knew you'd approve," said the scientist smugly. 

Ember's expression of approval arrived in the form of a fist shoved abruptly at his face, hard enough to make him stagger backwards and strike his head against the wall, and his glasses snapped in half. At the same moment, Scar came bursting in, shrieking like a banshee. The other Rocket made a clumsy grab for the PokeBalls at his belt, but Scar was faster than he was. His beak sank deeply into the man's hand, making him wail in pain. He shook his hand free and backed away fearfully with blood running through his fingers. The two of them looked at Ember and Scar, who were wearing equally murderous expressions. 

"Get out of here," Ember growled. "Get out! Get OUT! And don't ever let me see your faces again, or you'll hurt a lot worse than you do now." 

The scientist glared at him. Blood trickled through a thin cut left by his shattered glasses, and Aurora thought flippantly that he was going to end up with a scar like her Spearow's, and that it served him right. 

"Your uncle will hear of this," he said. 

"I have no uncle," Ember replied. "No family at all. Only my Pokemon and my friends. If anyone messes with either of them, I'll find a way to punish them." 

The scientist raised an eyebrow. "You are siding with this foolish girl?" 

"Yes. She may well be foolish, but she's brave and honorable, which is more than I can say for you. Now go. Get out of my sight before I give you more than a few cuts and bruises." 

The Rockets stared at him a moment, weighing their options, but something in Ember's expression warned them that he wasn't making empty threats. They left the room quietly, but Aurora could hear them breaking into a run as soon as they were out of sight. Once they were gone, Scar hopped over to her side and began running his beak through her hair, and Ember came to join her. 

"Hey, you. Wake up," he ordered. 

Aurora didn't see any reason to disobey him, so she let her eyes flutter open. 

"What happened? Where am I?" she said. 

"You're in a Rocket laboratory some miles outside of Ecruteak," he replied, "but that's not particularly important. What's important is that it's empty for the time being, so you can make your escape as soon as you're cut free. Hold on a minute." 

He went through his pockets and pulled out a small knife, using it to saw through the tough ropes on her wrists. 

"This could take a while," he said. "This isn't a very good knife." 

"I don't mind. I can wait," she replied. "Maybe while you're at it, you can give me some explanations... like what you're doing here." 

"That's simple enough. Your pet wouldn't leave me alone until I came and rescued you, so I figured I might as well get it over with." 

"Is that all?" 

"I'm not stupid enough to get on the wrong end of that beak of his. What? Are you thinking I did it out of the goodness of my heart?" 

Aurora shrugged. She decided not to embarrass him by telling him she'd heard him call her his friend. He'd only find some way to deny it, anyway. She decided to try another question, something else that had been bothering her. 

"Ember," she said. "There's something I want to know, and I want you to give me a straight answer this time." 

"I'm not good at straight answers." 

"Try. Try really hard." 

"Well, all right. What is it?" 

She turned her eyes to meet his. "Ember, why do the Rockets want to kill me?" 

"I was afraid you'd ask me that one," he answered, sighing deeply. 

"You do know, don't you? You hinted you did." 

"I do know. The trouble is, I don't think you'd believe me if I told you. It's not something you'll like hearing. I was hoping I could convince you of the danger before you got yourself into a mess like this. You're entirely too certain you can stand up to anything you meet by willpower alone." 

"It would help me if you'd tell me what I'm supposed to be avoiding in the first place," she insisted. 

"I told you, I don't know how to tell it so you'll believe." 

"_Tell_ me." 

"All right, all right!" he said. "Anything to stop you from nagging me. All right, where to begin? Hm... Clair is your idol, isn't she? How much do you really know about her? About her history, I mean." 

"Well... not a lot," Aurora admitted. 

"Time for you to learn, then. Clair started training early, and caught on fast. Legend has it that even when she started out, she never lost a match... and nobody's ever dared to say otherwise. Everyone respected her, regular trainers and Leaders alike. Even Team Rocket gave her a wide berth in those days - wouldn't go near Blackthorn when she first took over. She used to be the kind of trainer you always thought she was." 

"Used to be?" 

"Used to be. People change, you know. Power corrupts. And sometimes after they do something too long, people begin to lose their edge. For years, Clair went undefeated. She got the idea that she was invincible, and it went to her head. Then when she started to lose her knack and things went downhill, she just couldn't stand it." 

"Downhill? I don't understand. She's still the greatest trainer in Johto..." 

Ember shook her head. "That's not enough, not anymore. She liked being invincible, and lately she's been doing everything in her power to make sure she never loses another match." 

"You mean like... cheating?" 

"Cheating's the least of it," said Ember. "She's been throwing matches, certainly. More than that, she's started beating her Pokemon, trying to toughen them to the point where they don't feel pain anymore. And I've heard tell that sometimes promising young trainers who show a little too much interest in challenging her tend to get in inexplicable accidents or disappear mysteriously." 

Aurora's face went pale. "You don't mean it. You're making it up." 

Ember shrugged. "I told you that woman scared me." 

"And you think she's after me?" 

"I'm absolutely certain of it." 

"How can you be so sure?" 

"Because," said Ember, "lately, even her most underhanded schemes haven't been enough to make her feel safe, so she did the only thing she could do when a trainer goes rotten... she came to us, and we took her in. Actually, Uncle Giovanni is a little smitten with her - well, I suppose she is beautiful, if you're only looking skin deep. He's been a little too eager to bend to her whims. When she took a notion she didn't like you, well..." 

"But - but I haven't done anything to her! All this is crazy." 

"Haven't done anything to her? A little girl on her second day as a trainer came up to the woman who was once the greatest trainer on the continent, with nothing but a battered Spearow and not a single Badge to her name, actually expecting to have a chance to be Clair's apprentice. It was a terrible insult to her. That was bad enough, but now you're actually going out and collecting the Badges with relative ease, collecting rare Pokemon, befriending Gym Leaders... my dear young lady, you are shaping up to be serious competition for her, do you know that? You told her you wanted to be a Dragon Master someday, and now you're looking remarkably like you'll be able to do it. You've got her scared, Winter-Hair." 

Aurora just sat and stared at him. This was entirely too much to take in. Clair, the woman she'd been looking up to since she was a tiny child, was out to kill her? It was inconceivable to Aurora that her idolized Dragon Master could be that kind of paranoid maniac Ember was painting her as, but... even now, she remembered how Ember had been talking about his uncle being in Blackthorn, how Rockets had been seen sneaking around there. The scientist and his partner had been talking about a "boss lady" in Blackthorn. Morty had said there was a traitor among the Gym Leaders. There was a strange logic about it that she couldn't dismiss out of hand. 

"Clair wants to kill me," she said, trying to give the thoughts some solidarity. 

"That's right," said Ember, cutting through the ropes on her wrists. "I hoped you'd catch on sooner or later." 

"I don't like it," she said. 

"That's understandable." 

"So what am I supposed to do?" 

"Well, there was a point where you probably could have saved yourself by turning around and going home," said Ember seriously. "I think that time is past now. You've come too far; there's no turning back now. Every Rocket from here to New Bark Town is going to be looking for you now. Nowhere is going to be safe anymore." 

"I see," she said. "So... there's really no point in stopping now?" 

Ember shrugged. "Stay put or keep going. Someone is going to catch up to you sooner or later." 

"Not," said Aurora, "if someone catches her first." 

"What? You're going to blow the whistle on the illustrious Clair? No one will believe you." 

"Then I'll prove it," Aurora replied, "but first, I'm going to finish collecting my Badges." 

"Good luck," said Ember. "You'll need it." 

He finished sawing her free, and the two of them managed to untie Laine, as her bonds were somewhat looser than Aurora's had been. Once she had revived somewhat, Ember and Aurora hauled her to her feet, and Ember ushered them to the door. 

"You two stay out of trouble," he said. "I'm not going to be around to bail you out every time." 

"You stay out of trouble, too," said Aurora. "Something tells me your old Rocket friends aren't going to be pleased with you for this." 

Ember smiled thinly. "I think I can take care of myself. So long, Winter-Hair." 

"See you, Fire-Top... and thanks." 

They left the laboratory and began heading back towards the gorge. Aurora's last sight of Ember was of him going through the lab, letting the Pokemon out of their cages. 

~*~

The Pokemon center was fairly busy that night, with upwards of half a dozen young trainers sitting around the stove, eating and chatting and showing off their Pokemon to each other. All of them seemed to be having a good time... all, that is, except for a pale-haired girl who sat in a corner away from the main crowd. Aurora toyed nervously with her dinner, which she'd barely touched in the half-hour she'd been sitting there. 

"Do you think they're done yet?" she asked Laine. 

Laine swallowed a mouthful of food before answering. The people at the Pokemon center had been overwhelmed with joy at learning their beloved Snorlax was safe and in good company, and had responded by giving them a free dinner and promising to give the wounded Golbat the best care available. 

"They're doctors, kid, not miracle workers," Laine replied. "Give 'em some time... and eat your dinner. Starving yourself won't help a lick." 

"Sorry. I'm just nervous," answered Aurora, feeding a roll to Scar. "He was so weak when we found him, and then those Rockets had us captive for so long, and then we had to carry him..." 

"And nevertheless I say to you, worrying won' do any good," said Laine. "But if you aren't gonna eat your pie, push it this way. I'm starved." 

"I'm going to eat it," said Aurora. She began automatically eating her food, always keeping her eyes on the door of the doctor's office. Sometimes she saw someone walk past a window, but she never caught a glimpse of the Golbat. Finally, as she was finishing her dessert, a nurse came out of the office. 

"Aurora Cummings?" she called. "Your Golbat is ready. Would you like to come see him?" 

"Yeah!" she said, abandoning the last of her pie. Scar took the opportunity to steal it, while the girls trooped into the office. 

The Golbat was lying comfortably on a small bed, wrapped comfortably in a nest of blankets. His wing seemed to be perfectly healed, and he looked much more energetic. He sat up and looked at Aurora when she entered the room. 

"Hi there," she said. "Remember me?" 

"Gol, golbat," he replied. He rubbed up against her hand, and she scratched behind his ears. 

"I guess you do," she said. "You know, I never thought I'd say this, but now that you're all cleaned up, you're really sort of cute." 

"He's a fine Pokemon," said the nurse. "You should be proud to have him." 

"Oh, he's not mine," said Aurora. "I just found him and brought him here. I couldn't just leave him there to die. No Pokemon deserves that." 

"So what are you gonna do now?" asked Laine. 

"I don't know. I suppose I ought to set him free," Aurora replied. "Is he well enough to leave?" 

"Yes, ma'am. He'll be just fine as long as he stays away from Team Rocket," the nurse replied. 

"That's the trick, isn't it?" Aurora said quietly. "Come on, Golbat! Time for you to go join your friends." 

She picked him up, and he snuggled happily into her arms as she carried him outside. Dusk was just beginning to fall - the perfect time for bats, Aurora thought. She smiled. She didn't think she'd ever be afraid of them again after this. She held him up. 

"Here you go, fella," she said. "Fly on home." 

The Golbat gave her one last look. Then he flapped his wings and took off into the gathering twilight. Aurora watched him go, thinking, wondering if he really would be safe, or if Team Rocket would find him again. She'd always hated them for the way they hunted and abused Pokemon. Now she herself was going to have to get used to the life of a hunted animal. She sighed, thinking back to the time - had it only been a few days ago? - when being a trainer looked fun and glamourous. She didn't think she'd ever look at it the same way... 

She was distracted from her gloomy thoughts by a rush of wings, and she looked up at the sky in time to see a large dark shape flapping across it - no, _lots_ of shapes, a whole cloud of Zubats, with the Golbat in the lead. He flapped down to her and hung upside-down from her arm, shrieking with joy, and the other bats swirled around her in a living tornado. 

"You came back!" she exclaimed. 

"Gol, gol, golbat," he answered contentedly. 

Much to her surprise, he began to glow softly with a light like the moon. When the lights cleared, he had shifted from his awkward shape to a sleek purple creature. 

"What in the-?" she exclaimed. 

"A Crobat," said Laine, sounding impressed. "Zubat's highest evolution. It only evolves to that form if it trusts you." 

"Is that true?" she asked him. 

"Cro," he answered. "Cro, cro, crobat!" 

"Cool," she said. "I guess you're staying with me, then, huh, Crobat?" 

"What are you gonna name him?" Laine asked. 

Aurora thought a moment, then smiled. "Frightful." 

Laine grinned. "Perfect!" 

Aurora laughed and tossed her new partner into the sky again, watching him swoop and dive through the twilight, and she laughed as the cloud of wings swirled around her. 


	8. Stage Eight - Honorable Defeat(?)

**

Stage Eight - Honorable Defeat (?)

**   


**By: SilvorMoon**

Aurora's first hint that they were nearing Olivine City came as the sight of a few milling seagulls. Then she began catching whiffs of an unfamiliar scent that Laine told her was the ocean, and she felt a tingle of excitement rising inside. She'd always lived in the heart of a city, and she'd never before had the chance to visit the seaside. Now she picked up her pace, hurrying toward this strange new sight. 

Clambering over a sandy hill, she got her first glimpse of the city: a tall lighthouse, it's glass top glittering now in the bright sunshine. Then came the town itself, a number of neat little cottages and shopfronts with matching green roofs. She barely spared a glance at those; she was more interested in what lay beyond the city. At its very edge, she could just barely see a ribbon of clean golden sand, and beyond that, an infinite stretch of water, brilliantly blue and sparkling like sapphires. 

"Pretty cool, huh?" said Laine, admiring the view with the calm air of one who has seen the same thing a dozen times before. She seemed to be amused by her friend's awestruck expression. 

"I've never seen anything like it," she said. "It just goes on forever..." 

"All the way around the world," Laine replied. "You spend a few days on a boat seein' nothin' but water. Then you come back and tell me what you think of it. My dad took me on a boat once. I got pretty bored. And seasick." 

Aurora laughed. "You always keep everything in perspective." 

"I try. C'mon! You can't see nothin' right from up here. Let's go down an' have a look at the beach." 

The girls headed down the path into the town. It was a busy, bustling place full of sunburned tourists taking pictures and sailors enjoying some time ashore. Laine took out her camera and took a few snapshots. Aurora was more interested in looking at the Gym. She'd heard tell that Jasmine was a kind woman, but it took a highly skilled trainer to handle her Steel-type partners. She had no idea how her poor fliers were going to manage. She reassured herself that she didn't have to think about it until later - after all, her goal today was not the Olivine Gym, but the Gym in Cianwood, the small island town that lay across the ocean. That was all she needed to worry about for now... 

She paused in her thoughts as she reached the beach. Now she was getting the full effect of the ocean, not just the sight but the scent and sound and feel as well. It was beautiful, breathtaking... and impassable. 

"How are we going to get across?" she asked. 

"I dunno," said Laine. "I thought you knew." 

"I don't! I hadn't even thought about it!" 

Laine shrugged. "Guess you're stuck, then, aren't you?" 

"Well, you're a lot of help." 

"Hey, I'm here for moral support, not to do your thinkin' for ya," Laine replied. "Besides, I kinda thought that was supposed to be part of the challenge, gettin' yourself to Cianwood." 

"So what do I do now?" asked Aurora. "I can't get across the water with my Pokemon. They can't swim at all, and they can't fly without a Fly HM, and I can't get a Fly HM if I don't cross the water!" 

"Look for a boat," Laine suggested. 

There were no boats. Aurora walked up and down the beach in search of transportation, but the only things she could find were either small fishing vessels that didn't take passengers, or huge commercial cruisers that were more than a wandering girl could afford, even if they had been traveling in the direction she wanted to go. After an hour of this frustration, she returned to the place where she'd left Laine. Her friend seemed to have found a Shuckle hiding under a rock and was trying to pry it out so she could look at it. Scar hopped over and hooked his beak in its pocked shell so he could haul it free, and then put his foot on it so it couldn't escape. 

"Thanks," said Laine, grinning at Scar. "So, how'd it go, Rora? Any luck?" 

"Not a bit," she answered, sitting down on a rock and sighing. "It looks like we really _are_ stuck. Imagine coming all this way just to get blocked by some stupid water!" 

"I knew you would mess up sooner or later," interjected a voice. 

Both girls jumped, and Scar let out an annoyed squawk. Standing among some nearby rocks was Ember, smiling smugly. 

"What are you looking so cheerful about?" asked Aurora, irritated. 

"I've had a very productive morning," he replied. He opened his jacket so they could see the shiny new Badge he'd pinned to it. "Cianwood is a nice place, Winter-Hair. You should go there sometime." 

"I'm trying," she said, "but I need a way across the water." 

"You're too specialized. You need to pick up a few Water-types for instances like this," Ember replied. 

Laine looked at him shrewdly. "You have Water-types. Why don' you give us a lift instead of bragging?" 

"That would be entirely out of character," Ember replied, "and would probably get me in more hot water than I'm already in. Lucky for you, though, I'm in a good mood today... and I want to show you something." 

He hopped down from the rocks and ambled over to join them. Reaching for the PokeBalls at his belt, he carefully unclipped the one at the end. He tossed it casually. 

"You remember Hope, don't you?" he said. 

"I remember you mentioning her," Aurora replied. "I've never seen her, though." 

"No, you wouldn't have. I've been holding her in reserve until she was ready to fight... but she proved herself most admirably in Cianwood Gym. Now that she's evolved, she's a match for just about anything. Observe." 

He opened the Ball, shooting out a jet of red light. The waters began to roil and bubble as something huge formed in them. Both the girls stared, and the Shuckle scuttled away unnoticed, as everyone looked upwards at the creature in the water. It stared down at them, showing off a gaping mouth full of sharp teeth. 

"A Gyarados," Laine whispered. 

"She's beautiful," said Aurora. "Hey, there. Nice to meet you, Hope." 

Hope looked rather flattered, as far as a Gyarados could. She leaned forward to have a better look at Aurora, and the girl reached up to pet her. Ember grimaced a little. 

"I forgot she was part Flying-type," he muttered. "You and your affinity. Look here, that's supposed to be _my_ partner." 

"What? Don't you have any affinities?" asked Aurora. 

Ember looked mildly embarrassed. "Not all trainers do. My uncle was very annoyed when I never showed signs of being able to talk to Pokemon besides my own... but I can still communicate well enough with them and that's all that matters to me. So," he said, briskly changing the subject, "did you want a lift or didn't you? Hope can carry us all easily." 

"We'd appreciate your help," said Aurora quickly. "Right, Laine?" 

"Yeah, right," Laine answered, somewhat unenthusiastically. Aurora rolled her eyes a bit. 

"We'll get you another Shuckle later," she said. "Come on, before Ember gets impatient." 

At a word from her trainer, Hope obediently lowered her head so everyone could scramble on. Ember took the prime place just behind her spikes, and Aurora found a perch on her neck, while Laine clambered onto her back where she could watch the water for drifting Tentacools. As they began sailing out into the ocean, Scar took off and soared gracefully over their heads. The Gyarados set a swift pace, and soon they were far from shore. 

"How long does it take to get to Cianwood?" asked Aurora, just to break the silence. 

"It's a bit of a ride," Ember replied. "We can't make a straight line, because of the Whirlpool Islands. I don't think any of us are equipped to handle those." 

"I guess not," said Aurora. "But most other things... why didn't you tell me you were raising a Gyarados? I thought you liked to show off." 

"A young Gyarados isn't anything to show off," Ember replied. Looking a bit embarrassed, he added, "Besides, this was sort of a private thing. Hope is special to me." 

"Oh?" 

"Well, yes... Well, you know how I got the Aerodactyl. He was just given to me. Charizard and Seadra were given to me by my mother when I was still very young. Did I ever tell you about my mother? She's my uncle's sister. She and he used to be very close when they were young, or so I heard. She so wanted him to become a good Gym Leader and make it to the Elite Four, and she was a little upset when he didn't make it. She wanted no part of Team Rocket, so she married my father and took off." He gave a little shrug, as if unable to comprehend why his mother didn't want to join the family business. "She taught me a lot, anyway. Like how to win a fight _without_ cheating, and how to get a Pokemon to trust you. She's a pretty fair trainer herself. She's got a Clefable and a Nidoqueen that can handle almost anything." 

"I think I'd like your mom," Aurora replied. 

"I think you would. It's thanks to her I can understand why Team Rocket's failing, and it's not because of interfering children, no matter what Uncle thinks. Where was I, anyway? Oh, yes, the Pokemon. Anyway, she gave me the eggs that Charizard and Seadra hatched from so I'd have someone to play with when I was young, but I'd never actually caught a Pokemon of my own," said Ember. "Then after Uncle gave me that Aerodactyl, I decided it was time I got something of my own - something I could say I didn't owe to anyone. I caught myself a Magikarp with a hand-line and a Lure Ball - no Pokemon helping me at all. Just a little one, only Level Five, and I raised it completely by myself. I did everything I could think of to make her strong, because I wanted her to grow into something powerful someday, something that people could look at and tell I wasn't just a spoiled kid that had everything given to him on a silver platter." 

"And that's why you named her Hope," said Aurora quietly. 

Ember nodded, looking a little embarrassed. "So you understand?" 

"Yeah, I think I do," she replied. 

"Well, I'm glad someone does," Ember replied. "I'm so _tired_ of other people thinking they know how to run my life better than I do." 

"I think you're doing just fine," said Aurora. "You're really pretty smart - almost as smart as Falkner sometimes." 

Ember looked startled, then surprised her by laughing. "Coming from you, that's as high as praise comes." Looking more serious, he added, "For your sake, I'm glad you have someone worthy of your admiration." 

"Do you admire anyone?" Aurora asked. 

"Lance," he answered promptly. "Now, there's a leader for you. He earned his power fairly and uses it wisely. He's got some of the strongest Pokemon on the planet and never uses them for his personal gain, only to do what he thinks is right. He's fair. It doesn't matter who he's dealing with - trainers, Rockets, ordinary people - he treats everyone with the respect they deserve. I'd give a lot to meet him someday." 

"You probably will," said Aurora. "You're a good trainer. You could make it all the way to the League if you wanted to." 

"So could you." 

She blushed a little. "Well, first I've got to make it through the rest of the Gyms. That's not going to be easy, considering..." 

"You know," said Ember, "being so inaccessible and all, it's not that often that Cianwood has trouble with Rockets. I think you can safely put your worries behind you while you're there." 

"Thanks," Aurora said. "You know, as hard as you try to pretend otherwise, you're a pretty nice guy." 

"I should be insulted," Ember replied, "but there's really no point in it, I don't think... your friend can't hear us, can she?" he added, giving Laine a glare. 

Laine was nearly falling off the side of the Gyarados, leaning over the surface of the water to look at a school of curious Tentacools who had come to have a look at this intruder in their watery space. 

"I don't think she's paying attention to us," said Aurora. "Good thing, too, or she'd never let me live this down. She keeps teasing me about you being my boyfriend or something." 

Ember blushed almost as red as his hair, but managed to keep his expression to haughty affront. 

"Not at all likely," he said. "I'm certain I could find better places to bestow my interests than on some silly little twig of a girl." 

"Thanks. I'll tell Laine you said that. It will make my life much easier." 

Ember turned and looked off into the distance. "You can tell her soon; we're nearing land." 

Aurora turned and looked. Floating in the ocean was a rugged brown island, it's rocky cap reaching up at the pure blue sky, while a tiny town clung to its foot. From this distance, it looked like nothing but a jumble of boxes, but as Hope carried them swiftly closer, she could distinguish houses and shops, and then the shapes of a few children playing on the beach and adults walking the streets. Several of them stopped to look as the giant Pokemon glided onto shore. Hope lowered her head so the humans could drop onto the sand. Ember quickly made his partner vanish back into his Pokeball. 

"Aren't you going back to shore?" Aurora enquired. 

"I think not," answered Ember casually. "I think I could use a break myself. I intend to hang around for a while. Besides, there happens to be a... situation... at the local Gym, and I'm interested to see what comes of it." 

"Situation?" Aurora repeated. "What kind of _situation_?" 

"Nothing bad," he answered. "You know, just Gym business. Anyway, I'm off. See you around." 

He turned and began sauntering up the beach. Aurora stared at him in exasperation, then sighed. 

"Guess there's no point in expecting _him_ to be sociable," she muttered. Scar, who had come to land next to her, squawked his agreement. 

"Oh, I dunno," said Laine. "Looked to me like you two were havin' a nice chat up there. What were ya talkin' about? Makin' wedding plans?" 

"We talked about Pokemon," said Aurora, refusing to be baited, "and about Team Rocket, and Lance the Dragon Master, and Ember's family." 

"Sounds interestin', I guess," Laine answered, in a tone that said she was not in the least bit interested. "I'd rather hear 'bout that situation at the Gym. You s'pose somethin's gone wrong up there?" 

"Why not? Seems like everything else is lately," Aurora replied. 

They walked into the town. It was a more rustic place than Olivine was. The city had been clean and gleaming; this town was smaller and plainer, and large portions of it seemed to be put together out of driftwood and bits of old boats. The people looked like simple, hardworking folks. Many of them waved and greeted the two young trainers as if they had been expecting them. It was hard to feel worried in such an atmosphere, and the girls relaxed to enjoy the pleasant scenery. Aurora kept her eyes peeled for the Gym, but was distracted as Laine spotted something else entirely. 

"Ooh, look!" she squealed, grabbing Aurora's arm and pointing. 

Aurora obediently looked. Some distance away, she could see a large house, and in back there was an empty, sandy lot surrounded by a fence. In the lot were two Machokes sparring with each other... or were there? Aurora looked harder and realized that one of them was actually a human, a young man who appeared from this distance to be as muscled as the Machoke. He was battling the larger Pokemon with considerable skill, effectively blocking its punches and kicks, retaliating with forceful blows of his own. Aurora watched the performance for a moment, duly impressed, and then turned back to Laine, intending to move on again. Laine didn't appear to notice her. Aurora gave her friend's expression a critical evaluation, then looked back at the boy, then back to Laine again. 

"He's pretty good at that, isn't he?" she said casually. 

"Yeah," answered Laine. 

"Not bad looking, either," Aurora continued. 

Laine nodded her agreement. 

"So, are you going to talk to him?" 

"What?" That pulled Laine out of her daze. "Why am I going to talk to him?" 

"Because it's more dignified than standing in the street drooling." 

Laine drew herself up. "I am not drooling." 

"No, but you're staring like an idiot," Aurora retorted. "Go on, talk to him. It can't hurt." 

Laine considered that. She looked back at the boy, who seemed to have finished what he was doing and was ambling over to the fence to collect a towel and a water bottle and a towel that were lying there. 

"All right, I will," she declared. She began marching resolutely forward, with Aurora trailing behind. 

As they drew closer to the lot, the boy noticed them, and he looked up and grinned. 

"Hi there," he greeted. "I didn't know I had an audience." 

"We just got here," Laine replied. "Ya looked pretty good out there." 

Aurora kept quiet. Up close, she was agreeing with Laine's assessment - the boy did look pretty good. He was dressed for martial arts, meaning he was wearing nothing but a pair of loose white pants tied with a black belt, leaving bare an impressive expanse of muscles on his chest and arms. His grey eyes looked kind, and his face was the kind that smiled easily, showing off his even white teeth. 

"Thanks," he replied. "Just trying to work off some frustrations; it's been a rough morning. Sparring with Crusher here always makes me feel better." 

"Oh. Well, I didn' mean to interrupt you..." 

"That's okay. Talking to cute girls makes me feel better, too," he answered, making Laine blush. "I haven't seen you around before. What's your name?" 

"Elaine Harvester. Friends call me Laine. That's my friend Aurora." 

"Hi, Laine. Hi, Aurora. Nice to meet you both," he replied. "My name's Bruce. I'm kind of the Gym Leader here in Cianwood." 

"Kind of?" asked Aurora, startled into speaking. "How can you be kind of a Gym Leader?" 

His face fell a little. "Well, I am now, but I might not be for much longer. See, my dad is Chuck - he's been Leader here for years, and he thinks it's about time I took over, so he's trying me out to see how well I do." 

"You looked like you could do a good job to me," said Laine, glancing at the Machoke he'd been sparring with. 

"I know I could," Bruce replied. "I've just been hitting a bunch of bad luck. See, Dad told me I get three chances to win a Gym battle. If I lose three times in a row, I go back to train a while longer. I thought it wouldn't be a problem, but wouldn't you know, the first guy to come through was a Psychic from Saffron City, and he just creamed me. Dad just about blew his stack. Then just this morning, there was this red-headed kid with a Gyarados, and I couldn't touch the thing... He said he was from Viridian City. Why don't these people from Kanto stick with their own Gyms, huh?" 

"You'll win the next one," said Laine. "How much bad luck can a guy have?" 

"That's what I'm saying," Bruce replied. "I just know I'll win the next fight, and then everything will be cool... Hey," he added, catching sight of her Badges, "you didn't come here looking to fight me, did you?" 

"Not me," answered Laine. "I'm just kinda, you know, sightseeing. I'm not a serious trainer. I'm a researcher." 

"For real?" Bruce asked, looking impressed. "Man, you must be smart. I don't think I could do it." 

"It's not that hard. You just gotta watch things, and ask lotsa questions." 

"Cool. I'd like to hear about some of that stuff. I don't get to see much, since I'm here on the island most of the time." 

"Well, I-" 

Whatever Laine was going to say was cut off by the arrival of a man, who burst out the back door of the house and came stomping into the lot. He was dressed very much like Bruce was, but the look didn't suit him as well, owing to a sizeable potbelly that looked incongruous on his otherwise muscular frame. He was very bald on top, but he wore an untidy mustache. Other than that, though, he looked remarkably like Bruce. 

"What are you doing?" he scolded. "You're supposed to be working!" 

"I'm taking a water break, Dad," Bruce answered. "Besides, Crusher's getting tired. He already got beat up once today; I don't wanna push it." 

"You think you've got me fooled, don't you?" said Chuck. "Well, I've got your number. You're lazing around flirting with these girls when you should be training. Remember what happens if you lose another fight!" 

"Yeah, yeah, I know. It's all under control," answered Bruce placidly. "Just let me take a break and catch my breath, and I'll get right back to work. I'll take Tornado out and work with him, okay?" 

"Fine. He needs work, anyway," Chuck muttered. "But I'm telling you, if I catch you lazing around next time I come to check on you...!" 

"I'm not lazing, Dad, I'm talking," said Bruce. "And I told you, I wouldn't have lost that first match if the guy hadn't had that Alakazam. Even _you_ can't handle a level thirty Alakazam." 

"Humph," said Chuck. "Well, you'd better hope your next opponent isn't packing Psychics or Flying-types, that's all. You lose that next fight, and you won't have another chance for the next five years, you understand?" 

"Sure, Dad, no problem." 

Chuck didn't look happy about his son's relaxed attitude, but he relented. He gave a curt goodbye and went stomping back into the house, muttering under his breath about kids these days. 

"Sorry 'bout that," said Bruce. "Dad's just a little grumpy this afternoon 'cause Mom made him eat salad for lunch. She's trying to put him on a diet." 

"So you're not worried?" asked Aurora. 

"Not really," Bruce replied. "I mean, I'm giving it my best shot, right? Sooner or later, I'll get a break. I mean, what are the odds that another trainer like that is going to come along?" 

"Prob'ly not that good," said Laine, shooting a look in Aurora's direction. 

"That's what I think," Bruce replied. "I'm looking forward to winning my first battle as a Gym Leader. Dad's promised that when I do, we're going to have a huge party and invite everybody. It's gonna be awesome. How long are you planning on hanging around?" 

"Oh, I wouldn' mind staying here for a while." 

"Great. Maybe you can come, then." 

"I'd love to." 

Bruce beamed. "Hope I'll see you there." 

"Me, too," she said. "Hey, you're the expert on Fighting-types, aren'cha? I've got a Machop here with me... I wouln' mind a few pointers on how to raise him. I don' know that much about Fighting-types - there weren' that many of 'em in Azalea Town, where I'm from." 

"Really? You've gotta see my Hitmontop, Tornado. He's the coolest thing... and I'd be glad to take a look at your Machop." 

"I think I'm going to take a short walk," said Aurora. "I'll see you later, okay, Laine?" 

"Sure, fine," Laine called back. 

Aurora scampered off, leaving Laine to enjoy her talk with Bruce in private. Scar hopped along at her side, squawking. 

"No, I don't intend to start acting like that any time soon," Aurora replied. "Bruce is nice and all, but I think I like my guys a little more refined." 

Scar looked at her through his scarred eye and squawked some more. 

"No, just because Ember _is_ refined doesn't mean I like him." 

"Spear, spear, spear." 

"No, I am _not_ in denial. He's my friend, that's all. A weird friend, definitely, but..." 

Scar decided he'd heard enough and flapped away. Aurora sighed. It was impossible to win an argument with a Spearow. 

Aurora decided that she'd entirely lost interest in looking for the local Gym. Instead, she wandered around the town, looking at the scenery and chatting with a few local trainers. One of them challenged her to a match, which passed the time for a while and culminated in Scar pulling a spectacular victory against the other trainer's Butterfree. That made Aurora a bit more cheerful; it had been a while since she'd had a proper battle, unless one counted her abortive match against Ember, and she was glad to know her partners were still in fighting trim. She celebrated by buying cups of berry juice from a vendor, offering one to Scar. 

Even so, it was hard to feel really relaxed. Now she knew what Ember meant about a "situation" at the Gym, and she was wishing she had stayed ignorant. She could have fought Bruce, beaten him, and gone on to Olivine without worrying about him and his personal life. Now it was suddenly her concern. It was clear to her that if she fought him, she would probably win, and if she won, then he would lose his place as Gym Leader for who-knew-how-long. She thought uneasily of how she'd been told that Clair would arrange for promising young trainers to have their careers abruptly ended, and how she herself had felt when she'd been told she wouldn't have a chance to be a Leader herself unless she went on this journey. 

*_Bruce seems like a good trainer to me. It's not fair he should be punished for losing matches he honestly didn't have a chance in. He's right, Fighting-types just don't stand a chance against something like that Alakazam. He shouldn't be punished for what's not his fault_* 

There was a further complication, as well. It was clear to Aurora that Laine was smitten with the young Gym Leader, and he seemed to return her interest. He'd already as good as asked her to go with him to the victory party, but there would be no party if he lost his next battle. 

*_I can't really hang around Cianwood so Laine can work on her chances with Bruce,_* Aurora thought. *_I can't really leave her behind, either. I don't want her to miss out completely, though..._* 

She frowned at her empty cup, considering her options. Could she hang around here hoping another trainer would show up and get beaten? What were the odds of that happening? Even assuming the next trainer _would_ lose, how long would Aurora have to wait for them to show up? It might be days before someone else could cross the ocean to Cianwood, and while Laine might not mind waiting... 

*_It's just not safe, not for either of us. The Rockets are already looking for me - they'll kill me if they catch me. The longer I stay in one place, the more likely it is that they'll find out where I am and come for me. And wasn't that scientist talking about Laine and her dad? If it gets out that she's still carrying his notes... and she's told people! She told Bill, and she'll probably tell Bruce... All it would take is for her to say the wrong thing in front of the wrong person, and she'll be on the Rockets' Most Wanted list! And I haven't even told her yet - she doesn't know to watch her mouth..._* 

"I shouldn't have walked off and left her alone," she muttered. 

"She didn't look that alone last time I saw her." 

Aurora didn't even jump; she was getting used to Ember popping up where he was least expected. 

"What were you doing spying on her?" Aurora asked. 

"It was interesting," said Ember, sitting down next to her. "Besides, you should know by now that I'm not above getting into other people's business. It's an old habit." 

"Well, maybe you should think about breaking it," said Aurora sharply. "Whatever Laine's doing is none of your business." 

"And yet you seemed to think that you shouldn't have left her alone. Now, why is that, I wonder?" 

"I'm concerned about her safety." 

"No need," said Ember. "We've been keeping tabs on Bruce ever since it became clear that he was going to be his father's heir to the Gym, and I can assure you that he is tough as a boulder and just as stupid, and has the bad nature of a newly-hatched Igglybuff. He's harmless." 

"I know you're being purposely stupid. You're not that dumb naturally." 

"All right, then, what _are_ you worried about?" 

"Your gang and Laine's big mouth," answered Aurora. 

"It's not my gang anymore," said Ember, "temporary though that situation may be." 

"You know what I mean." 

"No, I don't. Are you going to give me a straight answer, or shall I assume you've been taking lessons from me?" 

"I don't think I want to tell you," said Aurora. "It's none of your business, anyway - especially since the thing I'm worried about is letting a secret get out." 

"I can keep secrets." 

"It's none of your business," Aurora replied. "Anyway, I'm mad at you. I don't see why I should tell you anything." 

Ember laughed. Aurora glared at him. 

"What's so funny?" 

"You," he said. "Do you have any idea how juvenile you sound, refusing to speak to me like that? And why in the name of Lugia are you angry with me? Especially after I was nice enough to help you get here in the first place. I could have just left you stranded on the beach, you know." 

"Why couldn't you have stayed in Olivine for a while? You could have fought Jasmine first. Your Pokemon are strong; they could have won." 

"I know that, but I don't see why I should have... Oh, wait a minute, I think I know what's going on," he said. "You're annoyed because I beat that idiot of a Gym Leader this morning, and now your friend might not be able to go on her date. Is that it?" 

"Yes." 

Ember gave a derisive snort. "You get angry over the silliest things. Have you stopped to consider that when I got here this morning, I had absolutely no idea your friend was going to fall for that lunkhead? Even if I had, why should it matter? I'm a trainer; I'm here to fight Gym Battles. Specifically, I'm here to win. It is none of my business what becomes of the trainer after I beat him. This game is about _winning_, not about feeling sorry for people." 

"I don't understand." 

"What's not to understand?" 

"How you can put your life on your line for the sake of your Pokemon," answered Aurora, "but you don't have any pity for the people who are supposed to be your friends." 

Ember blinked in amazement. "Who said anything about friends?" 

"You did. I heard you, back in the lab. I heard you call us your friends." 

Ember's expression turned stormy. "I didn't say that. Don't you go putting words in my mouth." 

"You did! I heard you!" 

"As I recall, I said that I wouldn't allow harm to come to my Pokemon or my friends. I never said who those friends were, or if I had any. Don't go making assumptions." 

"I can't believe you! After everything we've gone through - after the times we've saved each other's lives - and you still won't admit it!" 

"There is nothing to admit," said Ember frostily. "It's things like this that make me remember that no matter how talented you are as a trainer, you're still nothing but a silly, sentimental little girl. I'm through talking to you. Good-bye." 

He began to get up. He didn't get very far, though, because at that moment, Aurora slapped him across the face as hard as she could, making him nearly fall over. Her hand left a red mark across his face that almost matched his hair. He glared at her, rubbing his face and hissing in pain and anger. 

"What was that for?" he demanded. 

"Figure it out!" she shot back, and stalked off, with Scar trailing behind her, ruffling his feathers and glaring at Ember through his squinty eye. 

Aurora was still feeling faintly annoyed when she reached the center of town, and the feeling was only somewhat alleviated when she caught sight of Laine leaning against the Gym fence. 

"Hi!" she greeted. "What'd you run off for? I was startin' to think I was gonna hafta send out a search party for ya." 

"I was just looking around," answered Aurora. "Besides, I thought I'd leave you some time to talk to Bruce without me in the way." 

Laine smiled a bit. "Yeah. He's nice, isn' he? He showed me all his Pokemon, an' they could _talk_ to me! It was really cool. Bruce says he's never met a girl who had a Fighting-type affinity before. I didn' even know I _had_ an affinity, did you?" 

"I had a suspicion," said Aurora. 

Laine wasn't paying attention. "He was impressed with my research, too. He told me a lot about Fighting-types. Hey, guess what! He even asked me to be his date to the victory dance! Isn't that cool?" 

"That's great," said Aurora, trying to feign enthusiasm. 

"You need to find a date for the dance, too," said Laine. "Hey, maybe Ember will go with you." 

It was on Aurora's tongue to say she didn't even plan to speak to Ember for quite some time to come, but before she could say that, a better idea occurred to her. 

"That's not a bad idea," she said. "Maybe I'll go look for him. He's bound to be around here somewhere... finding him might take a while, though. You sure you don't mind waiting?" 

"Nah, I'll be okay," Laine replied. "I wanted to have a look at the pharmacy while I was here. It's supposed to be world-famous." 

"Okay. Have fun. I'll meet you back here later," Aurora replied. "See you in... about an hour?" 

"Sounds good. See ya 'round, Rora." 

Aurora set out - but not to find Ember. She headed for the far end of the town, climbing carefully over the rocks on the beach so she could hide herself among their coves and hollows. Once she was sure no one would be able to see her, she opened up one of her Pokeballs. In a flash of light, Rusty burst into view. He looked around. 

_Did you have to let me out here?_ he complained. _You just got all the rust off my feathers. Do you know how bad salt water is for steel?_

"You don't have to stay here long," Aurora replied. "It's just - I have a decision to make, and I wanted your advice." 

That appeared to mollify him somewhat; he preened a bit and sat down on a nearby rock. _Very well. Ask._

"Well, you seem to understand honor and things like that," Aurora began. "Now I'm in a situation where... I've always believed that it was wrong to throw a fight. I thought the best way to fight was to give everything you have and not hold back. Otherwise, I didn't think it would be a fair, you know? Right now, though... I'm starting to think I might have to lose a fight on purpose." 

_Why?_

"Because," Aurora replied, and explained about Laine, Bruce, and the victory dance. 

"You see?" she said. "If I win this fight, Laine will miss her chance and Bruce won't be Gym Leader, and he deserves it. I don't want to mess everything up. If I fight him now and lose on purpose, I can make sure he becomes the next Leader and everyone will be happy." 

_Except you, because it won't be fair._

"Exactly. Part of me says I shouldn't do this because it doesn't prove anything if he beats someone who's trying to lose, but the other half says there's no way he could win if I really was giving my all - it still wouldn't be fair to expect him to win against a whole fleet of Flying-types when his specialty doesn't have any defense against them..." 

_I will fight him,_ said Rusty. 

"Hm?" 

_I will fight. My nature is half Steel, and Steel is weak against fighting. The annoying Murkrow and your Umbreon will also fight. They have weaknesses. That will be fair. The others can be hidden until the fight is over._

Aurora smiled. "That's the perfect plan. Thank you, Rusty. I knew you could help me." 

_My pleasure. Just be sure you have a few potions ready when it's over; I have a feeling I'll need them._

"I will," Aurora promised. She hugged him. "Try not to get hurt too much, okay?" 

The tone of his thoughts was ironic. _I was not intending to do so._

"Good," Aurora replied. She turned to Scar. "If we're going to do this, you're going to have to take off for a while. Go hang out somewhere until I'm done." 

"Spear, spear." 

"I know you don't like it, but there's nothing I can do about it. Now, go." 

Scar went, but not without complaints. He flapped off and perched on a rock, up where Aurora couldn't see him. From that vantage point, he could watch her as she trekked back up the beach and began heading for the Gym. Then he came to a decision. He took to the air again, preparing to complete a mission of his own. 

~*~

The doors of the Gym swung open, and Aurora stepped inside. It was a dark stone building, scattered with large rocks, many of which appeared to have been cracked by powerful blows. At the far end, she could just barely see Bruce, meditating on a wooden platform, half hidden in the shadows. He stirred as he heard the doors open. 

"You again," he said. "I thought you weren't here for a fight." 

"I changed my mind," she said. "I, Aurora Cummings of Goldenrod City, challenge you to a Pokemon battle!" 

He bowed his head. "Accepted." 

Gracefully, he rose from the platform and strode towards her, and she felt a twinge of nervousness in her stomach as she thought how powerful he looked in the dark room. 

*_What are you afraid of? You're **planning** to lose, aren't you?_* 

The two of them bowed to each other, then stepped back to release their Pokemon. He produced a Tyrogue - rare, but presumably young and inexperienced. Aurora matched it with Moondancer and watched the Dark Pokemon zip almost invisibly through the shadows. The Tyrogue tried in vain to strike her, but she was to fast and clever for him, hiding behind rocks and then leaping out to sink her sharp little teeth into an arm or leg. She was wearing him down badly until the Fighting Pokemon used Foresight on him, after which point every blow he attempted found her, and she was quickly beaten. Aurora withdrew her and sent out Blabberbeak. He finished what Moondancer had started, attacking furiously with his sharp beak. The Tyrogue fell, and Bruce withdrew him. 

*_One down on both sides,_* thought Aurora, biting her lip worriedly. *_Even with a weakness, she nearly won... What happens if I can't even lose on purpose?_* 

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud squawk. Bruce had called out his Hitmontop, Tornado, who was now whirling around the room and keeping Blabberbeak on the defensive. The bird had the potential to be quite dangerous to the Fighting-type as long as he wasn't hit himself, so Bruce was carefully directing his Pokemon to make sure the Murkrow never had that chance. Finally, there was a squawk, and the Murkrow dropped out of the air. Aurora retrieved him. 

"One more to go," she muttered. "Rusty, you're up!" 

Bruce watched, somewhat pale, as the gleaming bird appeared. Even in the dimly lit room, he shone like a star. 

"Tornado, return," Bruce commanded. "Crusher, forward!" 

The Machoke appeared, and the two of them began circling each other, looking a bit like two roosters at a cockfight. Crusher dove at him, backing away at the last second as Rusty flashed his claws at him. They made a few quick strikes, landing minor blows here and there, neither doing much damage to the other one. Suddenly, Rusty launched himself at the Machoke, screeching and flailing his wings, and Crusher was briefly obscured in a whirl of silver feathers. Aurora held her breath, wondering if Rusty had betrayed her and intended to win this match whether she wanted him to or not. Then she heard a sharp clang, and Rusty was hurled across the room to slam into the wall. He slumped to the floor, and Aurora ran to his side to check on him. He was unconscious. 

"Game over," she said. "I give up. You win." 

A bell rang somewhere, announcing Bruce's victory to the world. Aurora barely heard it. She knelt next to her fallen friend, trying to keep her tears from falling on his freshly cleaned feathers. 

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry... You're such a good, brave Pokemon... I'm so sorry..." 

~*~

Laine had met Aurora just after she had come out of the Pokemon center, which was a relief. If she had actually seen her coming out of the building, it would have been hard thinking of a good explanation for why three of her Pokemon had been knocked senseless. Instead, Laine was happy and eager to tell her friend how Bruce had finally won his first Gym Battle and how he had been officially named Cianwood's new Gym Leader. She was so happy that Aurora, comforted as she was by seeing her partners up and healthy again, was able to give her a real smile. 

In the hours to come, the town was very busy getting ready for the big celebration. A dance floor was set up, and tables of refreshments were prepared. The fishermen placed glittering Starmies and Staryus in every available space to light up the town with their ethereal glows. Everyone, young and old, got dressed up in their best to prepare for the festivities. 

"Do I look all right?" asked Laine, turning in a small circle so Aurora could inspect her. "I'm not used to dresses." 

"You look great," Aurora assured her. Laine had bought herself a frilly pink dress that complemented her rosy complexion, and there were flowers pinned in her dark hair. She really did look quite pretty. 

"Thanks," Laine replied. "You look good, too." 

Aurora blushed. "No I don't. I'm too skinny. At least you have a few curves. I'm like a toothpick." 

"Whatever! Always knew you didn' have any sense," said Laine. "C'mon, let's go. Bruce is supposed to be waiting for me." 

The two of them set out into the town. Dusk was falling now, with the first stars starting to peek out to have a look at their earthbound cousins. The Staryus cast a festive light over everything, and the air was full of the sounds of music and laughter and the scents of food and perfume. Everyone they met was excited, and the party atmosphere was infectious. 

*_I think we did the right thing,_* thought Aurora. *_Everyone looks so happy... makes me wish I had someone waiting for me like Laine does._* 

She took her mind from that gloomy thought and turned her attention to Scar, who was hopping and fluttering along beside her and watching all the festivities with interest. He was not, however, looking her in the eye, and it made Aurora wonder. He didn't seem to be annoyed with her, as she'd feared he would be, about asking him not to take part in the fight. It was more like he had a secret he was afraid he'd let slip if he spoke to her, so he was purposely keeping his distance. He'd never done anything quite like it before, and the puzzle kept Aurora occupied until they reached Bruce's house. 

"Sorry if we kept you waitin'," said Laine as he greeted them. "Rora's hair is a lotta trouble." 

"That's okay. I only just finished getting ready myself," Bruce replied. "I'm not used to suits." 

Laine assured him the suit suited him very well. It was well-cut to show off his broad shoulders and narrow waist, and its pale gray color accented his eyes. 

They arrived at the party, where Bruce was given an enthusiastic reception, and Aurora slipped off to the fringes of the crowd where she wouldn't be getting in anyone's way. She applauded with everyone else as Chuck (looking very odd in a suit and tie) officially announced his son his successor as Gym Leader. She sat quietly as most of the other people chose partners and danced. After a while, she lost track of where Laine and Bruce were, so she was surprised to find him suddenly appearing at her side. 

"Not dancing?" he enquired. 

"I was," she lied. "I'm just resting my feet." 

"Oh," he said. "Anyway, I, um... I wanted to thank you." 

"For what?" 

He took a deep breath. "Look. I know what you did, okay? You lost the match on purpose, so don't try to deny it. I know you had other Pokemon that you didn't send out, because you knew you'd win if you did." 

Aurora was stunned. "How did you find out?" 

"Somebody told me," Bruce replied. "Right after the fight. Believe it or not, it was the same red-headed kid with the Gyarados. Didn't seem to think it was quite fair that you should have to miss out on getting your Badge just because you wanted to help someone out. He said he was a friend of yours, and he thought it was the least a friend could do for you, letting me know what you did." 

"Oh," she said. 

"Anyway, as a token of my thanks... here." 

He reached one of his large hands into his pockets and took out a fistful of objects: a box, a bag, and a glittering bit of metal. She picked it up and stared at it. 

"The Badge?" she said. "But - but I lost..." 

"On purpose. We both know you would have won if you gave it your all," he replied. "Besides, the game's not about winning, is it? It's about friendship, with your Pokemon and with other trainers. Your Pokemon wouldn't have done that for you if they didn't love you, and you wouldn't have done that for Laine if you didn't care about her a lot." 

"I did it for you, too," Aurora replied. "I know you'll be a great Gym Leader someday. You just needed the chance." 

He grinned. "Thanks. Anyway, there's your Badge, your forfeit, and a Fly HM. I figure it'll be useful, with all those Flying-types you've got. And don't worry about the forfeit - half of it is your money you paid me, anyway." 

"Oh," she said again, somewhat dazzled. "Thank you. Thank you very much!" 

"Don't mention it," Bruce replied. "And now I'd better get going - I just told Laine I was going to get a drink. See ya!" 

He disappeared into the crowd again, and Aurora smiled, rather wistfully, thinking Laine was really very lucky to have found a guy like that. But even as she thought that, she remembered what he'd said about the "red-headed kid" who had passed along her secret. She wished Ember was around to ask about it... 

"I thought I'd find you here," said a voice, right on cue. 

"Hello, Ember," she said. "Were you looking for me?" 

"A bit," he said. "Actually, I hardly recognized you, Winter-Hair. You look almost feminine." 

Aurora smoothed her hair self-consciously. She'd spent a little of the prize money she had left over from fighting Whitney on a beautiful blue dress, and her silvery hair, which she considered her one real asset, had been unbound to fall nearly to her feet. In the shimmering starlight, she looked like some ethereal sea sprite come up to have a look at the party. 

"Thanks, Fire-Top. You don't look so bad yourself - almost human," she answered, evaluating him. He'd managed to acquire a suit from somewhere, and he'd cut his hair so that his eyes could now be clearly seen. They were very blue, like the base of a flame. She hadn't given the matter much consideration since the first time she'd met him, but now she was reminded that he was really quite good-looking. 

"Touche," he said with a faint smile. "No matter how ladylike you might look, you're still dangerous." 

"Not that dangerous," she answered. "Ember, I'm sorry I hit you. You're right; it was childish of me." 

"I suppose I'll forgive you," he said. "You were at least partially right, anyway - I suppose it does behoove me to look out for my friends once in a while. It's just that I've never had any - not human ones, anyway - and it's hard to remember what to do with them now that I've got them." 

"Well, you made a good start, talking to Bruce like that," Aurora replied. "How did you know, anyway?" 

"Before you ask, no, I wasn't spying," said Ember. "Actually, a little bird told me." 

He smiled and nodded in Scar's direction, and Scar squawked his agreement. 

"_You_ told him?" asked Aurora, glaring at her partner. "No wonder you've been acting sneaky all day!" 

"He didn't think it would be right if the truth didn't come out somehow," he said. "I had a hard time understanding him, but he's a remarkably clever bird, and he managed to get his point across." 

Scar sat up and preened a bit. 

"Oh," said Aurora. "Well, thank you. I'm very grateful." 

"You should be. It's not often I do favors like this for people... but you've done me a few good turns in the past, so I guess I owe it to you," answered Ember. "So don't thank me... Anyway, I see no one's dancing with you." 

"No one's dancing with you, either." 

"I'm not a particularly sociable person, you may have noticed," he replied. "However, since it would look rather suspicious to be the only person at this party who doesn't have a date... would you like to dance with me, Aurora?" 

"I suppose I will," she replied. "Don't step on my feet." 

He pulled a grimace of mock-offense. "I'll have you know I had a classical education as befits my station. I happen to be a very good dancer." 

Aurora laughed. "Prove it." 

"Very well, then." 

So he took her hand and led her out on to the starlit dance floor, and they began to dance. 


	9. Stage Nine - A Traitor in Their Midst

**Stage Nine - The Traitor in Their Midst**

**By: SilvorMoon**

Her bare toes buried in the sand, her back braced against the curve of a shady palm tree, a girl sat by the side of the beach. A sea breeze tossed her long hair in and out of the shadows, making it go from silver to iridescent white and back again. The bright sun sparkled on the waves as they crept lazily onto the beach and then slid back to the deeper ocean once more, occasionally casting up a seashell for her companions to retrieve. The girl under the tree took no notice as her friend, a dark-haired girl clutching a camera, and her lead Pokemon, a Spearow with a scar across his eye, splashed and played along the beach. She was writing a letter. Any outside observer would have thought they were there for a tropical holiday, and that the girl was probably telling friends or family back home all the fun she was having. Unfortunately for her, her life recently had been anything but a vacation, and her situation was something less than fun. She chewed on her pencil, trying to find the words she needed. 

_Dear Falkner,_ the letter read, _a lot of things have been happening._

That was as far as she'd been able to get. Since she'd last seen the leader of the Violet City Gym, a lot of things certainly had happened - too many things for the girl's peace of mind. She felt a need to confide in someone older and wiser, and she trusted Falkner, but it was still hard to get all her emotions and experiences down on paper. She decided to at least start the letter off with something cheerful. 

_I've picked up some new Pokemon since last time I saw you - a Murkrow, an Umbreon, and a Crobat. The Murkrow used to belong to Team Rocket, but I think he's okay now, for a Murkrow, anyway. The Crobat we rescued from a Rocket lab too. Lately I can't turn around without tripping over a Rocket._

She sighed at that last line, finding herself face to face with the subject she'd wanted to avoid. She decided to go ahead and get it over with. 

_While I was in Ecruteak, I talked to Morty. He said he was a friend of yours, so maybe you already know that. Anyway, while I was there, he told me that he thinks there's a traitor somewhere among the Gym Leaders, and he asked me to try to find out. I told him I wasn't going to, but I think I might have found out anyway. Falkner, the Rockets are after me - they attacked me just outside of Ecruteak, saying they had orders from the top to have me captured. I asked Ember why they're after me, and he said it's because of Clair._

There. She'd put it in black and white, giving substance to what had been thus far only sound and thought. She still didn't want to believe it. All this time she'd been idolizing the Dragon Master, and now she was being told by a renegade Rocket that she was actually out to kill her - and all because she'd had the nerve to want to learn from her! It sounded insane, but Aurora trusted her informer. Ember might have been an ex-Rocket and a lot of trouble, but he wasn't a liar. At least, she didn't think he was... 

_Ember said Clair is working with the Rockets, because she thinks she's losing power and influence and wants their help getting it back. They're supposed to help her get rid of people who might beat her in an honest match. I'm not really sure how it works, but maybe you'd want to check on that._

What else? She didn't really want to go into detail about how she felt, knowing that Team Rocket and the most powerful trainer in Johto was out to get her, or how she wished she could wake up and find it had all been a mistake. 

_I heard something else, strange, too. I overheard a Rocket scientist talking, and he was saying that Laine's dad didn't die in an accident like she thought. He said some other Rockets had attacked him in on a ledge, trying to steal something from him, and that's why he fell. Laine didn't hear, and I haven't told her yet, but I'm worried about her anyway. She still misses her dad so much, and I don't know how she would take finding out he was killed. On the other hand, she's still carrying around the stuff the Rockets were after, and I'm afraid they'll find out she's got it. Then she'd be in as much trouble as I am._

The thought gave her an inner twinge of guilt. If Aurora hadn't met Laine, she'd probably have stayed in Azalea Town, the way her grandfather had wanted. Then she changed her mind - Laine had been determined to get away from home and follow in her father's footsteps. At least this way she had someone to watch her back. 

_Everything's gotten so confusing. I really don't know what I'm doing anymore - what's the point of going forward if I just know every Badge I win is another reason for Clair to try to kill me? It's not as if getting them all is going to do me any good now. Then again, I can't really turn around and go home now, either. I could use some advice right about now._

She looked at the letter, trying to think of how to finish. She couldn't think of anything else that needed to be said. Resignedly, she signed her name and began folding the letter up. 

"Hey, Rora!" called Laine from somewhere down the beach. "You done writin' that thing? I'm ready to get back to solid land. My boots are fulla sand." 

"Yeah, I'm done," said Aurora. "Just give me a minute to get it sent, and then we can get going." 

She whistled, and a Pidgey fluttered down from the tree and landed in front of her, chirping with polite curiosity. 

"Hello, Pidgey," said Aurora. "Would you mind doing me a favor? I need this letter delivered to Falkner, in Violet City. Do you know where to find him?" 

The Pidgey did. He chirped agreeably. Aurora thanked him and fastened the letter to his leg. He preened her hair a bit before flapping off into the sky. Scar clicked his beak at the other bird as it disappeared into a cloud bank. 

"Don't be like that," Aurora scolded. "You know I couldn't get you to deliver that; I need you here. How am I supposed to fight Jasmine if my lead Pokemon is off delivering messages?" 

That soothed Scar's ruffled feelings a bit. He raised his head and strutted proudly up the beach as the girls led the way back into the city. They strolled up a wooden sidewalk, keeping an eye out for the local Gym as they chatted. 

"You sure you're ready for Jasmine?" asked Laine. "Heard she's pretty tough. Those Steel-types are as bad as the Rock-types - if you don't have a type advantage, you're in for a long fight." 

"What types have the advantage?" 

"Fire. Water. Fighting. Stuff you don't have." 

"Well, _that's_ encouraging." 

"You'll figure somethin' out. You always do," Laine said. "Odds are something weird'll come up and she'll just give it to you." 

Aurora frowned. "I don't like that. Too many of these things I've gotten just because someone decided I deserved them. They aren't earned honestly." 

"Here we go again," Laine muttered. "What did the guy say? Badges are to show your mastery over Pokemon. You can control your Pokemon pretty well, so why shouldn' they give you Badges?" 

"Because you're supposed to win them in Gyms," said Aurora stubbornly. 

"Okay, be that way," said Laine. "Anyway, if you're determined, the best thing I can tell ya is to go with Pokemon like Moondancer and Blabberbeak that know some moves that are at least halfway effective. Maybe Rusty, too - bet he knows a thing or two about how Steel-types fight. Better be careful, though - some Steel-types know Electric moves, too." 

"Now, that's the kind of advice I can use. See, I knew there was a reason I was letting you follow me around." 

Laine grinned. "You just like my company, that's all." 

The Gym did not prove difficult to find. It had a steel roof, which had been polished to mirror brightness, so that it flashed in the tropical sunlight. Wrapping around the grounds was a tall steel fence, similarly polished, with tall posts topped off with miniature Magnemites. The front gate was topped by an arch in the shape of two Steelixes touching noses, and the roof was surmounted by a statue of a Skarmory. The gate itself was closed, but Aurora was able to undo the heavy latch, letting it swing smoothly open. 

Despite the building's rather forbidding exterior, it's front lawn was a welcoming blend of smooth lawn, flowering plants, and tasteful rock gardens. A sculpture of a Seadra sat in one corner, spouting water. A pebbled pathway wound through the garden, twisting and turning in a way that made Aurora feel the person who had planted everything wanted to make sure their work was noticed and appreciated before they got too wrapped up in Gym doings. It _did_ help calm Aurora down a bit. She'd always heard that Jasmine was a kind person; perhaps battling her wouldn't be too overwhelming of an ordeal... 

"She's not home." 

Aurora, Laine, and Scar jumped as one. Looking for the source of the voice, they saw that there was a girl standing in a shaded corner. Her dark hair and dark clothing had helped to camouflage her, and she had been standing so still that Aurora had taken her to be just another sculpture. Now she moved into the light, showing a girl in a slate-blue uniform of some sort, with a matching hat holding back ocean-blue hair and shading ocean-blue eyes. 

"If you're looking for Jasmine," she said, "she's not home. She left a couple of days ago to check up on something. We heard some rumors of some injured Dratinis in Blackthorn, so she took off to see if it was true and what she could do about it." 

"Do you know when she'll be back?" Aurora asked. "I'm kind of in a hurry." 

"No idea," said the girl with a shrug. "I suppose you could hang around and wait, if you want. To tell the truth, I wouldn't mind the company. Things are pretty dull around here when Jasmine's not home." 

"Are you Jasmine's apprentice?" asked Aurora, surveying the girl's uniform. 

"Sure am! Just got the post a couple of months ago. I used to be from Pewter City in Kanto, but when Jasmine heard there was a girl there with a Steel-type affinity, she had me shipped over here in a hurry. Steel affinities are even rarer than Steel-type Pokemon, from what I can tell. By the way, I'm Lapis - Lapis Lazuli. Who are you?" 

"Aurora Cummings," she answered, offering her hand. "That's my friend, Laine Harvester. Oh, and this overgrown feather duster is my lead Pokemon, Scar." 

Scar ruffled his feathers and showed off his sharp beak and claws. Lapis gave him an appraising stare. 

"If that's what you lead with, I'd hate to see what you're keeping in reserve," she said. 

"Mostly Flyin'-types," said Laine. "That's her specialty." 

"Oh, really?" asked Lapis, looking interested. "I'm not so good with them, myself. Not many people try to fight Steel with Flying-types, so I don't have much battle experience with them. I do have a very nice Skarmory, though, if I do say so myself." 

"So do I!" said Aurora. "Can I meet yours?" 

"I'll tell you what - you show me yours and I'll show you mine." 

"Deal." 

The two girls opened up their Pokeballs, and Lapis introduced Aurora to her Skarmory, Stiletto. He and Rusty greeted each other politely; Skarmories were normally solitary birds, but they did know a few things about good manners. While the two birds were getting to know each other, their attending trainers did likewise. The three girls were soon fast friends. Aurora and Lapis swapped tips on the raising of Skarmories, while Laine filled her notebook with information on the rare and powerful Steel-types. They were both impressed with Lapis's knowledge, not only of her favorite Pokemon, but of plants and flowers. It seemed that Jasmine had an interest in healing herbs, and many of the things growing in her garden were not only beautiful, but useful as well. 

"No one in Johto knows more about growing things than Jasmine. She studied with Erika for a few years," Lapis explained. "She sends them to the pharmacist in Cianwood to make his medicines with, but they're usually good enough fresh-picked. She's good at diagnosing diseases and things, too. I'm expected to learn that along with everything else, but I don't mind. It's good to know I can always heal my Pokemon even if there isn't a Pokemon Center nearby." 

"And that's why Jasmine had to leave," said Aurora. "So she could find out what's wrong with the Pokemon." 

"That's right," Lapis replied. "If she can, she'll help to heal them; otherwise she'll send word to someone higher up the scale. If that's what's going on, she might not come home for days or weeks. I hope that's not what's going on. People are getting edgy around here." 

"Edgy?" Aurora repeated. "What for?" 

Lapis shrugged. "Oh, you know, just rumors. There have been some Rocket sightings, but nothing confirmed. There's a story going around that Giovanni's come back out of hiding. The word is that the Rockets have found themselves a double agent - an insider from the Gym community that can spy on us and track our activity so they can tip of the Rockets and keep them from getting caught. People are worried - don't know who to trust, you know. Do you know what it's like for people to not even know if they can trust their own Gym Leader not to turn the town over to Team Rocket?" 

"Jasmine wouldn' do a thing like that!" Laine said. "Everyone I talk to says she's the nicest lady alive." 

Lapis nodded. "I know that, but people don't think straight when they're scared. I sure hope she comes home soon." 

"So do I," said Aurora. "I don't have a lot of time to waste." 

"Do you want to spar with me a bit?" Lapis offered. "I'm not authorized to give out Badges, but..." 

"Thanks, but no," Aurora replied. "I think I've stayed here long enough. I'll be back, though." 

"Right," said Lapis. "Nice meeting you both. Good luck." 

The girls left the Gym with varying levels of discouragement. 

"Well, that was a big success," Laine commented. 

"I don't like it," said Aurora. 

"Hey, it's okay. You can fight her when she gets back. It'll be more time to practice." 

"It's not that," Aurora said. "I don't like being forced to stay in town like this. I'll be a sitting duck if the Rockets come looking for me." 

"There is that," said Laine. "Oh, well." 

"How can you go 'oh, well' like that? This is dangerous." 

Laine shrugged. "We've come through all right before, haven' we? Besides, nobody's gonna - hold the phone. What was that?" 

"What was what?" 

"I thought I saw somethin'. See, there it goes!" 

Laine pointed, and Aurora looked in time to see something dark moving quickly through a back alley. Curious, she began creeping towards it, with Laine and Scar tiptoeing along behind her. Another shape flashed by through the gap between two buildings, and this time Aurora recognized it as a human being dressed all in black, save for one telltale red marking. He was carrying a heavy sack on his back. The girls and the bird ducked behind a dumpster, peeking around the edges to try to watch what was happening. Laine took out her binoculars. 

"They're sneakin' around the back of the Gym," she whispered. "Looks like there's maybe a basement door or somethin' back there, and they're tryin' to get in." 

"We should stop them," Aurora hissed back. 

"What, are you nuts? You've got a price on your head; you don' want anyone tryin' to claim it. We should tell the police." 

"I guess you're right," said Aurora reluctantly. It irked her to walk away from a fight like that, but Laine was probably right to say she should be looking out for herself... and her friends. Feeling unsettled, she turned and began walking away, sternly reminding herself that the police were the best people to deal with the situation. 

~*~

The chief of police in Olivine City was a portly man in a blue uniform who looked like he was more used to handing out parking tickets than dealing with major emergencies. Unfortunately, he seemed to be the only one in residence, so Aurora and Laine walked up to him nervously. 

"Um, excuse me," said Aurora, "but we need to report something." 

"Hm? What's this?" asked the policeman, blowing into his mustache. "What can I do for you, my good lady?" 

"Well, it's like this," Aurora began. 

"We saw some Rockets," Laine said. 

"What?" said the policeman. He went from looking sleepy and good-natured to ferocious in an eyeblink. "Where? When?" 

"Just a little while ago," said Aurora. "We were just leaving the Gym, and-" 

"There were Rockets at the _Gym?_" the man exclaimed. 

"Yeah," Laine agreed. "We were just leavin', an' we saw them sneakin' down a back alley, so we followed 'em and saw 'em going through a back door..." 

"To the _Gym?_" he asked. 

Laine gave him an annoyed look. "No, the candy store, dummy, what d'you think? Yes, the Gym! Aren't you payin' attention?" 

"Laine, that's rude," Aurora hissed. "You can't talk to a policeman that way." 

"I can when he's bein' stupid," Laine replied. "Lapis said the people around here were bein' crazy, but she didn' say nothin' about them bein' stupid." 

"You were talking to Lapis? Lapis Lazuili, the apprentice Gym Leader?" the policeman asked. 

"Yeah," said Laine grumpily. "She said everyone was actin' all crazy because they're scared of the Rockets." 

"I see," said the policeman, his bushy eyebrows furrowing. "I must look into this at once! Marten! Gray! Where are you?" 

Two young policemen scampered into the room and snapped to attention immediately. A pair of Houndours trotted at their heels and growled faintly at Scar, who hissed and showed his talons. 

"We must get to the Gym immediately," said the chief of police. "Thank you, ladies. I'll get back to you once we have matters under control. Let's go, men!" 

He marched off with his followers trailing eagerly behind. The girls looked at each other. 

"I feel _so_ comforted, don't you?" asked Laine bitterly. 

Aurora frowned. "Now that you mention it, no. Do you think it would be okay if we went back outside a bit for a while?" 

"Why wouldn' it be?" 

"I don't know. They might want us for witnesses or something." 

Laine shrugged. "They're the police. If they're all that good, they'll find us." 

They went out. It was still a beautiful day outside, and Aurora did her best to try to enjoy it. Still, things kept intruding on her mind - Rockets at the Gym, Ember's news about Clair, her discovery about Laine's father... why did everything have to happen to her, anyway? Then again, as she looked around, she realized she was not the only one with worries. The townspeople did look worried, and they eyed the young travelers warily. 

"You'd think we were Rockets in disguise," Aurora muttered to Laine, watching a woman with a baby stroller give them a glance and hurry to the other side of the street. 

"It's not such a farfetched idea," Laine replied. 

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" 

"I mean, it's not such a farfetched idea that there might be Rockets in disguise around here," said Laine. "See, there's one now." 

She pointed, and Aurora looked. On the other end of the street, she noticed a boy in a familiar denim jacket, wisps of brilliant red hair escaping his cap. Despite the Badges pinned prominently to his coat, Aurora knew he was no honest trainer - at least, she amended, not completely honest. He seemed to be deep in conversation with a shopkeeper. Even as the girls watched, he shook his head and began wandering off in obvious disgust. Aurora hurried to catch up to him. 

"Hey, Ember, wait up!" she called. 

He stopped and turned around. The minute his eyes fell on her, his expression shifted from surprise to a deadly glare. 

"So," he said coldly. "I suppose you think you're clever, do you?" 

"What do you mean?" asked Aurora. 

"I mean, going to the police like that," he said. "It _was_ you, wasn't it? I heard it was a little girl who made the report, and only you could be such an annoying busybody." 

"What are you so mad about?" she asked. "You didn't think I was going to-" 

"Not here," he hissed, looking around furtively. "People are going to hear us. Come on, this way." 

He escorted her down a side street and into the shadows of a narrow alley; she wouldn't have even seen it if Ember hadn't showed it to her. Once they were there, he leaned against the wall and favored her with another one of his glacial stares. 

"So," he said, "you thought you'd be a hero again and report some Rockets to the police. Is that it?" 

"I wasn't trying to be a hero," she said. "I wanted to fight them myself, but Laine wouldn't let me." 

Ember sighed. "The one time you would have been better off picking a fight..." 

"What do you mean by that?" asked Aurora, eyes narrowing. 

"Do you have any idea what those Rockets were doing?" he asked. 

"They were up to no good," said Laine. "Rockets always are." 

"Right," he said. "For your information, they knew the information had gotten out that one of the Gym Leaders was a traitor - well, you can't expect something like that to stay a secret forever. Jasmine's in Blackthorn City this week, running some far-fetched errand. They intended to sneak into her Gym, plant some Rocket paraphernalia there, and then make sure a tip got back to the police about it. Then Jasmine would get arrested, or at the very least have enough suspicion thrown on her that the lawkeepers would get confused and leave the _real_ traitor alone for a while." 

"And now we've shown up and ruined your plan, right?" said Laine. 

"_No_," Ember snapped. "Maybe if you'd had the sense to catch them _before_ they broke in. Now the damage is done. The police caught the Rockets _after_ they had finished planting the evidence, and of course they said they were there looking to speak to the Gym Leader. You just _helped_ them by delivering their tip for them. I came down here trying to derail this thing before it got out of hand, only to find that you two went and got yourselves involved, and now there's nothing _anyone_ can do about it. Lapis has already been arrested, and Jasmine will be, too, when she comes home, and it's _all your fault!_" He glared at them both fiercely. Aurora wished she could sink into the ground, but Laine faced him glare for glare. 

"How were we supposed to know what your stupid Rocket plans are?" she demanded. "We ain't psychics. Maybe if you had at least _told_ us. You knew we were here. Why didn'cha send Rora a letter or somethin' if you knew this was gonna happen? Any Pidgey woulda been happy to tell her. We coulda helped you if you hadn't been so determined to do everything yourself." 

"Team Rocket is my responsibility," he said. He sounded slightly sulky. "I'm supposed to be able to handle things myself." 

"Even Team Rocket's a team," said Laine. "You oughta learn how to get help from your friends when you can." 

"Hm," he said, eyeing them both thoughtfully. "That may be a point." 

"Why are you so mad about all this, anyway?" asked Aurora. "I thought you were still loyal to Team Rocket." 

"I am," he said. "I want something to be left of it by the time I take it over, and it's bound to be destroyed if they keep pulling stunts like this. Lance won't have us getting his Gym Leaders thrown out of office. Besides," he said quietly, "Jasmine is an old friend of my father's. He'd never forgive me if I let her get thrown in jail for no good reason." 

The girls goggled at him. 

"She is?" asked Aurora faintly. 

"Of course," said Ember. "They went to school together." 

"You just keep getting weirder and weirder," said Laine, with something that sounded like admiration. 

"Anyway," he said, "supposing I did ask you for help right now, what would you do?" 

"I suppose the first thing to do," Aurora answered, "would be to find Jasmine and let her know what's going on." 

"That would be an idea," said Ember. "All right. You do that. Anything else?" 

"Well, I wrote a letter to Falkner," said Aurora. "I don't know how soon it will get to him, but he _is_ in charge of investigations and things - you'd think they'd ask him about something big like this... he won't believe Jasmine's at fault when I already told him it was Clair." 

Ember's expression clouded briefly. Then he shrugged. 

"So you decided to tell him? You might as well. I never liked Clair, anyway. Too much trouble, if you ask me. Perhaps something will be done about her... or not. She may not be what she was once, but she's still the most powerful Gym Leader on the island, and Lance's heir- apparent. It will take a lot to topple her, Rockets or no Rockets." 

"Well, we'll do what we can," said Aurora, and Laine nodded. 

"And so will I," said Ember. "You keep Jasmine safe as long as you can, and I'll see what I can do about the rest of it. No promises, but..." 

"You'll do your best, I know," Aurora answered. "I trust you." 

He raised an eyebrow. "Do you really?" 

"Sure," said Laine. "You may be a Rocket, but you're an _honest_ Rocket." 

"Well," he said. 

He shrugged and began walking away. He clicked a Pokeball open, releasing a winged orange dragon, which crouched long enough to let him climb onto its back before leaping into the air and carrying him away. 

"Easy come, easy go," Laine muttered. "He could at least say goodbye or somethin'." 

"That's Ember for you," answered Aurora, a bit wistfully. "Did you really mean it when you said you trusted him?" 

"Sure. Why not? It ain't like he hasn' bailed us outta some hairy scrapes before," Laine answered. "He's a pretty decent guy, for all he is a Rocket. I'm startin' to think maybe some of them are almost human." 

Almost human... Again, Aurora's mind strayed to her secret about Laine's father. Maybe she should tell her... Of course she should tell her, but what would happen when she did? 

"Laine..." she began. 

"No time to talk now," said Laine. "We've gotta go find Jasmine, 'member?" 

"Right," she said, with mixed relief and guilt. "Where do we look?" 

"Well, if she's coming from Blackthorn..." Laine flipped on her PokeGear and began investigating the map. "Looks like she'll be heading down from right about... there. We'll see if we can meet her when she comes through." 

"Good idea," said Aurora. "Let's go." 

Silently, she added, *_And let's hope Ember's telling the truth._* 

~*~

Even that far from the beach, the sun was still warm and bright, and dark-haired Laine ran a hand across her sweating face and scowled at the cheery skies. Aurora had managed to take shelter in the shin shadows of one of the spindly palm trees that grew along the wayside, but it was scant protection, and she fanned herself with her hands. Both girls had been sitting on the side of the road for better than an hour, and both of them felt hot, bored, and slightly sunburned. 

*_I wonder if this is the right thing to do,_* Aurora wondered. *_What if Ember really _is_ lying? He could be setting us up. Maybe it really is Jasmine who's behind this. If it is, everything will be all right, I can go on with what I was doing..._* 

She shook her head. Tempting as it was, she couldn't let herself believe it. To ignore her warnings that her life was in danger because of Clair, just to settle her own mind, was stupid. It would get her killed, and probably put a lot of other people in danger. 

*_Just like not telling Laine about her father,_* she decided. *_No matter how bad it makes me feel, or her feel, I have to tell her for her own safety... once we're done helping Lapis and Jasmine._* 

"Are you sure this is the way she's coming?" asked Aurora. 

"I'm sure," said Laine. "I'm just not sure _when_. You heard Lapis - Jasmine might not be here for days." 

"We can't wait that long," said Aurora. "They'll put Lapis in jail or something. Maybe if I asked the birds, one of them could find her..." 

Her musings were interrupted by a squawk from overhead, and they looked up to see Scar swooping down to land next to them. He screeched away at Aurora while she tried to keep up with his rapid bird-chatter. 

"What's he sayin'?" asked Laine. 

"He says Jasmine's on her way!" Aurora answered. "Thank goodness. I was starting to think we'd be here all week." 

Within a few minutes, they could hear a distant rumbling, crunching noise, as of a very large rock being rolled along the road. Then Aurora caught sight of something blinking off in the distance, and Laine pulled out her binoculars to look. The flashing thing was a great, shining, snake-like beast, and there was a woman riding on its back. 

"It's her!" Laine announced. "Movin' fast. We're gonna have a time getting her to stop." 

"We'll manage," said Aurora. 

She jumped up to stand in the middle of the road, and Laine and Scar copied her example. They stood in a row while the approaching Steelix roared up the road. It caught sight of them at the last possible second, skidding to a halt with a metallic screech and a great deal of dust. 

"What's going on here?" asked a sweet, feminine voice. "Is something wrong?" 

"Jasmine? Is that you?" asked Aurora. 

"I am Gym Leader Jasmine," she answered. "Who are you?" 

She leaned over to get a better look, and Aurora took the example to look back at the Gym Leader. She was a pretty woman with long brown hair, part of it caught in two short pigtails while the rest spilled down her back. Her eyes were wide and inquisitive, and her face looked kind. Aurora compared her to Clair's sharp look and decided that Ember was telling the truth; this person wouldn't willingly come within a mile of a Rocket, except to bring it to justice. 

"My name is Aurora Cummings, and I'm a Pokemon trainer," she answered. "This is my friend Laine Harvester. We need to talk to you." 

"If you want to have a Gym Battle, it will have to wait until I get back to the Gym and freshen up a bit," Jasmine replied. "I've just come back from a long journey; Steelix and I are tired." 

"It's not about that," said Aurora. "It's just... you can't go back to town right now." 

Jasmine's eyebrows raised. "Why not?" 

"Because of those stupid Rockets," Laine answered. 

"It's like this," said Aurora. "Everyone's talking about how one of the Gym Leaders has turned traitor, and the Rockets planted some things in the Gym to make it look like you're working with them. They've already arrested Lapis, and if you go back, they'll arrest you, too. You've got to stay out of sight until everything gets straightened out." 

"They've taken Lapis?" asked Jasmine, concerned. "I must help her..." 

"You can't," said Aurora. "You'll both be in trouble then. What good will it do you to get yourself arrested, too?" 

"I will not stay in hiding," said Jasmine stubbornly. "Lapis is my responsibility. Besides, it is not the act of an innocent woman to stay in hiding. I'll have a talk to Sergeant Hardrock and get this all straightened out. Excuse me, please." 

She wheeled her Steelix around and brushed past them, her face set in lines of worry. The girls looked at each other. 

"What do you think?" asked Aurora. 

Laine shook her head. "She's doomed." 

~*~

This was, Aurora reflected as she walked dejectedly up the street, one of her all-time lows. Even getting captured was nowhere near as bad as this. At least then she'd felt like she could still _do_ something. Now all she could do was listen to the local gossip. Not like it was hard to hear - everywhere she went, people were talking about the same thing: Jasmine had been arrested for conspiracy with Rockets, and both she and her apprentice were in custody awaiting trial. 

"We failed," she said miserably. 

"We are kinda having a setback," said Laine. 

"We failed," Aurora said, more certainly. "We could have fought the Rockets and stopped them, and we didn't do that. We could have told the police what we know about Clair, and we didn't do that. We could have done something to hold Jasmine up so she wouldn't get arrested, and we didn't do that. We haven't done anything today but get into trouble." 

"We tried," said Laine. "Come on, stop feelin' sorry for yourself already. Ya did the best ya could. Quit mopin' and think about somethin' constructive." 

"Like what? Now I can't even finish collecting my Badges; it could be weeks before they decide if Jasmine is guilty or not and decide who's going to be the next Gym Leader. How many people specialize in Steel-types?" 

"You don't know she's gonna be kicked out." 

"We don't know she won't." 

"Well, aren't you just a little ray of sunshine?" said Laine crossly, hands on hips. 

"I'd like to see you say something positive." 

Laine opened her mouth for a moment, then shut it. She stared up at the sky. She blinked and looked again. 

"Falkner's coming," she said. 

"Eventually, I guess," said Aurora, "but who knows how long it will be before-" 

"No, seriously, he's coming!" Laine exclaimed. She took out her binoculars and shoved them into Aurora's hands. "Look - look over there." 

Aurora peered through the binoculars, scanning the sky. Off in the distance, she could see two bird-shapes skimming across the clouds. One of them carried a sky-blue shape, and the other a ghostly white shape. When Aurora twisted a few knobs, the glasses showed her the familiar faces of Falkner and Morty. 

"We're saved!" she cheered, and Scar squawked his agreement. "Falkner will straighten this out in no time - they'll listen to him." 

Within a few minutes, two Pidgeottos had deposited their burdens lightly on the beach. Falkner was just returning them to their Pokeballs when they were greeted by a young girl running across the sand. 

"Falkner!" Aurora shouted, running up and hugging him. "Am I ever glad to see you!" 

"So I see," he said with a faint laugh. "This is a pleasant greeting, but you might want to let go before someone gets the wrong idea." 

"Oh. Sorry," she said, releasing him from her grip. "It's just... I was just wishing you'd come. Everything is so crazy around here today, and it just keeps getting worse. I didn't think you'd come so soon." 

"When one of my fledglings is in trouble, I come as soon as possible," he answered, "especially when that trouble affects all of Johto. And since Morty here has been reporting unsettling vibrations from this area, we thought we'd come out and kill two birds with one stone, if you'll pardon the expression." 

"Spear, spear, spearow," Scar muttered. 

"Quiet," Aurora scolded. "He did say he was sorry." 

"Spear, spear, spear." 

"So, what's been going on here in Olivine?" asked Morty. "Even from far away, I got the feeling that things weren't right here. There has been an unsettling here of some kind, has there not?" 

Laine nodded. "Those Slowpokes at the police station went an' arrested Jasmine and Lapis for no good reason!" 

"They _what_?" asked Morty coldly. His dark eyes had gone hard as diamonds. 

Quickly, Aurora explained what she knew about the Rocket plot. 

"That," said Morty, "is going too far! This cannot be allowed." 

"It won't be," Falkner replied. "We will have to speak to the sergeant. Where can we find him, please?" 

"This way," said Aurora. She started up the beach, leading the rest of the party behind her and listening as the two Gym Leaders whispered to each other. She could not hear what they were saying, but it was clear that Morty was absolutely furious, and Falkner seemed to be trying to calm him down. Falkner didn't sound that happy himself, but he wasn't bristling like Morty was; one could almost see the air shimmer in distress around him. 

They reached the police station and found the sergeant shuffling through a pile of paperwork. He looked up as he heard the door open and looked surprised by what he saw. He got quickly to his feet. 

"Leader Morty, Leader Falkner, what brings you here?" he asked, looking rather nervous, as if he thought he might have done something wrong. 

"Just clearing up a few little matters," said Falkner calmly. "I heard news that one of my fellow Gym Leaders landed in a spot of trouble today. I thought I'd come and look the matter over for myself." 

"How did you find out?" asked Sergeant Hardrock. "The news hasn't been made public yet." 

"Things get around," said Falkner, waving a hand. "I've heard one version of the story already, but I'd like to hear it from your point of view before I make up my mind." 

"Well, it's all really very simple," said the sergeant, blowing nervously into his mustache. "A pair of young ladies came here saying they'd seen Rockets at the Gym, so of course we went to investigate. We managed to capture several of them, and a search of the Gym uncovered a number of Rocket uniforms and other paraphernalia. When we questioned the captives, they admitted that Jasmine had been allowing them to use her basement as an underground headquarters. It was an open and shut case." 

"It was hardly an open and shut case," said Morty, his eyes glinting dangerously. "Didn't anyone ever bother to tell you that things are not always what they seem?" 

"Um, yes," Sergeant Hardrock said, "but I believe if you examine the evidence, you'll find-" 

"If I examine the evidence, I'll find it's a pack of lies," Morty hissed. 

"Morty, do you mind?" asked Falkner mildly. "Really, you're being very excitable today. Kindly control your temper." 

"Sorry," said Morty, looking chagrined. A Gastly that hovered over his shoulder made faces at the sergeant, but Morty remained silent. 

"I apologize for my friend. This is quite unlike him," said Falkner. "However, I believe he is right about the evidence. I've been given an alternate explanation for why those things were there that is far more logical than thinking that Jasmine or her apprentice are involved with Rockets. You have to admit, it's out of character for them." 

Sergeant Hardrock frowned. "I don't know. Jasmine's been away all week. She said she was going to Blackthorn, and you know as well as I do that things have been going on there. We don't know a thing about the apprentice - she only came here a few weeks ago from Pewter City, and that's not far at all from Viridian City, where Giovanni came from..." 

"Now you're grasping at straws," Falkner scolded. "That's circumstantial evidence and you know it." 

"Yes, but taken with everything else-" 

"I still maintain that Jasmine is innocent," said Falkner. "As a matter of fact, I have received several reports as to the identity of the traitor in our midst. All of them have been from reliable witnesses, and _none_ of them have implicated Jasmine in any way." 

The sergeant threw up his hands in frustration. "It's out of my hands now. The arrests have been made. There has to be a trial now, whether she's guilty or not." 

"What kind of trial?" asked Falkner. 

"A small one," the sergeant replied. "No one attending but the judge and jury and the witnesses." 

"Very well, then," said Falkner. "You won't mind if Morty and I are witnesses? We have information relevant to the case, and we are supposed to be the preservers of law in Johto." 

"I'll see what I can do," said the sergeant tiredly. "We'll give you a call when the trial is about to start." 

"Thank you," Falkner replied. "Come along, everyone." 

His companions followed him out of the police station, all of them in various stages of gloom. Aurora trotted quickly to walk beside him. 

"Couldn't you do anything else?" she asked. "Gym Leaders are supposed to be law enforcers! Can't you make them let Jasmine and Lapis go?" 

"Even if he could, he wouldn't," said Morty. He didn't sound very happy about the fact, but continued, "We are enforcers of the law. We do not make it or control it." 

Aurora looked blank. Laine looked thoughtful. 

"I think I get it," she said. "You're sayin' you can't let 'em outta jail because the law says they have to stay there, an' you have to uphold the law whether you like it or not." 

"That's it exactly," said Falkner, nodding to Laine. "If we only enforced which laws we chose, we'd be little better than the Rockets." 

Seeing that Aurora didn't look very comforted he said quietly to her, "I'm sorry, fledgling. You really did think I could make it right, didn't you? I didn't mean to disappoint you, but you have to understand, I have my limits like anyone else. In this situation, Lance himself would have his hands tied." 

She tried a weak smile. "I know. I'm sorry. I guess I'm just used to thinking Gym Leaders can do anything. I guess by now I should know that's not true..." 

"Your protege learns fast," Morty commented. 

"Protege," Aurora repeated. "Do I know what that is?" 

"It's like a student, I think," Laine replied. 

Morty said in a declamatory voice, "Protege: one under the care, protection, or patronage of another. You have to admit, Falkner's taken an unusual lot of interest in you. Taken you under his wing, so to speak." 

"She has promise," said Falkner with an embarrassed shrug. "And it's not every day I come across a young trainer with my own particular affinity. Besides, if she intends to be a Gym Leader someday, I'd like her to have competent training, wouldn't you?" 

"Are you a competent trainer?" asked Morty with a trace of a smile. 

"Humph. I'll ignore that remark because I know you're in a bad mood. And when you find someone with a Ghost-type affinity, I'm going to watch and see what you do better." 

"Are you really teaching me how to be a Gym Leader?" Aurora asked Falkner. 

"Of course. Why not?" he asked. More seriously, he added, "the way things are shaping up, there's going to be a vacancy for one very soon." 

Aurora was quiet while she pondered that. Yes, she had dreamed of being a Gym Leader... but if things kept going the way they were going, she was starting to wonder if she really wanted the job. 

~*~

The courtroom was stuffy, and felt crowded even though there were really not many people in it. There was a judge sitting on the stands, and a jury, and a small collection of witnesses, including Falkner, Morty, Sergeant Hardrock, Aurora, Laine, and Scar. The latter was not at all happy with the close quarters, and kept croaking and trying to flap his wings, forcing Aurora to scold him and making the judge glare at them. 

Also present, kept away from the rest of the crowd on a bench of their own, were the three captured Rockets, Jasmine, and Lapis, with guards watching over them all. Aurora noted that Jasmine looked as calm as ever, but Lapis was nervous and kept twisting her hands in her lap. It gave Aurora a pang of guilt; she liked Lapis, and was sorry for getting her involved in any of this trouble. It wasn't Lapis's problem what the Rockets were doing, or Clair... 

At about that time, Jasmine, who had been idly looking around the room until now, noticed Morty sitting a few feet away from her. 

"Mortimer!" she said. "This is a pleasant surprise." 

Morty colored a bit, making his pale complexion look almost normal. "I came as soon as I could, when I heard you were in trouble." 

*_Oh_,* thought Aurora, suddenly finding herself trying to stifle a giggle. *_Well, that explains a lot._* 

"If the witness will kindly stop fraternizing with the accused," said a voice sharply, "we will begin the trial." 

Morty blushed again and slumped into his seat. A few of his Gastly companions chose to make themselves visible long enough to make faces at the lawyer who had made the remark. 

The judge rapped his gavel. "Court is in session." 

Everyone settled down and let the lawyers begin their opening spiels. Despite the importance of the situation, Aurora found it hard to pay strict attention once the proceedings began in earnest; she'd heard most of it before. She listened with half an ear as the prosecutor rattled off his list of reasons why Jasmine was involved with Rockets, while the defense lawyer insisted that she was innocent. It was unsettling how weak his arguments sounded. Then they started calling witnesses to the stands. Sergeant Hardrock sounded very sure of himself as he described his capture of the Rockets and subsequent search of the Gym's basement. Jasmine and Lapis were given their chance to explain themselves, and then they were questioned and cross- examined for what seemed like forever. Aurora was about to fall asleep by the time she heard her name called. Trying not to yawn, she began walking toward the witness stand. As she was walking, she thought she saw a movement in one of the upper windows, but when she turned to look, it wasn't there anymore. 

"Hurry it along," a lawyer scolded. 

She took her place on the stand and made her promises to tell the truth. The lawyer in front of her regarded her thoughtfully. 

"Could you please tell me," he said at last, "how you came to be involved in this case?" 

"I saw the Rockets sneaking into the Olivine City Gym," she said. 

"When was this?" 

"About... two o'clock this afternoon," she replied. 

"What were you doing at the Gym?" 

"Well, I'm a trainer. I had gone there to try for the Mineral Badge, but Jasmine wasn't there." 

"So you didn't stay there?" 

"We stayed there a little while, to talk to Lapis. She and I both train Skarmories, and we were comparing notes, I guess you could say." 

"When did you see the Rockets, then?" 

"Right after we left. We had just left the Gym, when we saw something moving, so we went to look and saw a bunch of Rockets trying to get into the Gym. They were all of them carrying big sacks," she said. 

The lawyer turned to look at Sergeant Hardrock. "Were the Rockets you captured carrying anything?" 

"No, sir," he said. 

The lawyer turned back to Aurora. "Were they able to enter the Gym easily, do you think?" 

Aurora frowned, trying to remember. "Well, I couldn't see too clearly, but... it looked like they were having trouble getting the door open. One of them was hunched down and wrestling with the lock. Laine would have seen better; she had the binoculars." 

"But to you it looked like..." 

"Like he was trying to pick the lock," she finished promptly. 

The opposing lawyer gave her a hard look. "And would you know anything at all about picking locks?" 

"Actually, I do," Aurora answered. "I'm really pretty good at it." 

The lawyer looked surprised. "Where did you pick up that questionable skill?" 

"Objection!" the defense lawyer shouted. "That is an attack on the witness's character!" 

"It is not," said the other lawyer replied. "It is important to know whether or not this girl really knows what she's talking about before we can judge whether she is a competent authority." 

"Objection overruled," said the judge. "Answer the question, please." 

"I learned while I was working in my parents' repair shop," Aurora explained. "I'm good at mechanical things, and I learned how to do all kinds of things, and picking locks was one of them. And I know enough to know that it's hard, especially with a good lock. Unless it was a really cheap lock, they would have had to sit and fiddle with it for a long time before they could get in, and I don't think anyone would put a crummy lock on a place as important as a Gym." 

"Ah, but how do we know if they had to stay there long or not?" asked the other lawyer. 

Aurora shrugged. "They were still there when the police got there. Would they hang around any longer than they had to?" 

"Sharp answer," Morty commented to Falkner. "It's going well, don't you think?" 

Falkner looked serious. "So far. If it was only Aurora's testimony, Jasmine would likely get off, but with the Rockets swearing up and down that Jasmine was allowing them there-" 

Whatever else he was going to say was cut off by a crash from above. Everyone turned to see that one of the upper windows had been shattered, and perching on the windowsill was a young man in a Rocket uniform. Before anyone could react to his presence, he leaped down, landed crouched on the floor, and then sprang toward the stand where the Rockets were being held. When a guard tried to intercept him, he released a collection of Pokemon, leaving them to deal with an enraged Charizard and a Kingdra that shot jets of water at everyone who got too close. Scar pretended to be frightened, adding his shrieks and whirring wings to the melee. 

*_A Kingdra?_* thought Aurora dazedly. *_When did Ember get one of those? His Seadra must have evolved while I wasn't looking..._* 

She risked a glance at Falkner and Morty; both of them were watching the chaos with carefully controlled expressions that made her think they were trying not to laugh. As Ember bundled his captive comrades onto the Charizard's back and sent them crashing back out the ruined window, she felt inclined to laugh a little herself at their confused expressions. He made a dash for the door, paused just long enough to wink in her direction, and scampered off into the dark streets. 

"Catch him! Catch him!" shouted Sergeant Hardrock. Water was dripping off of his uniform, and his mustache was scorched from where he'd come too close to the Charizard's tail. 

"Catch him with what?" asked Falkner. "By the time you go looking for them, they'll all be long gone." 

"I don't get it," said one of the guards, staring at a ruined bench where the Rockets had been just moments earlier. "Why did he bother to rescue a bunch of low-ranking officers and leave these two behind? He wouldn't, unless..." 

"Unless," said Morty, "Jasmine and Lapis had nothing to do with this situation. After all, Jasmine is one of the most powerful Leaders in Johto. Even if she had been revealed as a conspirator, she would still be useful to them. On the other hand, if she has nothing to do with them, I'm sure they would dearly love to see her take the blame for the _real_ traitor and be thrown in jail." 

"Lucky for us, in the absence of their dubious testimony," said Falkner, "I'd say there is very little evidence left that Jasmine has anything to do with anything." 

The jury agreed. After only a few minutes of discussion, they found Jasmine and Lapis innocent of all charges, and the meeting broke up among mutters of confusion. 

"I don't like it," said Sergeant Hardrock. "If it isn't her, it means the real traitor is still out there somewhere." 

"That is true," said Falkner. "However, rest assured that the situation is well in hand." 

"We _know_ who it is," said Laine grumpily. "If you had listened to us from the beginning, you wouldn'a had this problem." 

"You know who it is?" Sergeant Hardrock repeated. "Why didn't anyone _tell_ us?" 

"Because there's not enough proof," said Falkner. "And what we've got comes from some... interesting sources. Don't worry, though - the traitor will be in hand soon. As a matter of fact, I'm planning on speaking to Lance myself as soon as possible." 

"That serious, eh?" asked the sergeant. 

"Yes," he said. "And it's really thanks to these two young ladies... and another, who shall remain anonymous... that we have things so well in hand." He turned to Aurora and Laine. "By the way, I think there might be someone who'd like to talk to you." 

He escorted Aurora over to where Morty and Jasmine were chatting together and politely stepped into the conversation. 

"Forgive me for cutting in," he said, "but I thought Jasmine might like a formal introduction to the young ladies who have been helping us." 

"We've met," she said, smiling. "I would like to thank you both for your assistance. It was very good of you to try to protect me. I would like to do something to repay you." 

She reached into a pocket and offered a glittering bit of metal. Aurora shook her head, and Scar hopped a few paces backwards. 

"Thank you very much," said Aurora, "but if it's all the same to you, I'd rather fight for my Badge." 

Jasmine didn't mind; she looked quite pleased. 

"You always hafta do stuff the hard way," said Laine. "If you don't want it, _I'll_ take it." 

"Fine," said Aurora, "but I want to _win_ mine for a change." 

"Crazy," Laine said, and accepted the Badge that Jasmine handed her, not knowing which of them the Gym Leader was laughing at. 

~*~

The spotlights were warm as they beamed down on the girl in the center of the Pokemon stadium. Her heart fluttered in her chest, but she couldn't help feeling excited, even elated. This was where she felt she belonged: out on the playing field, feeling the hum of adrenaline rushing through her veins. Out in the audience, she could just barely make out her cheering section: Laine, Lapis, Falkner, and Morty, the only people in the Gym besides herself, her Pokemon... and Jasmine. She stepped gracefully into the brilliance of the spotlights, and Aurora was momentarily awed. Behind the woman's gentle facade, there was a steel core that flashed through her dark eyes. 

"Before this assembled company," she said, "I declare by the rules and regulations of the Pokemon League that this is an official Pokemon Battle. I, Jasmine, will do battle with Aurora Cummings of Goldenrod City for the honor of the Olivine City Gym and the prize of the Mineral Badge. Begin!" 

She flipped open a Pokeball and sent forth a Magnemite. It buzzed as its single eye whirled around in search of its enemy. Unfortunately for it, its enemy was moving too fast to see, and it was unexpectedly hit from behind by a small Umbreon, who bit it sharply before vanishing into the shadows. The Magnemite spun around and shot a bolt of lightning at the place where Moondancer had been a second ago, but it was too late. Moondancer tried a Quick Attack, but it did minimal damage. Her opponent tackled her, bowling her over. She bounced to her feet, not seriously hurt, and kicked up a screen of dust. While the Steel Pokemon tried to get its bearings, Moondancer leaped at it again and crunched down with her sharp teeth. The Magnemite shot off a few feeble sparks and fell. Jasmine collected it and sent it back to its ball. 

"Lovely," she said, smiling faintly. "Shall we try something more challenging?" 

"Let's," Aurora agreed. 

Jasmine snapped open a second Pokeball. Suddenly, Aurora found herself looking up at Jasmine's gigantic Steelix. It looked down at her with its steely eyes, and for a moment, she almost lost her nerve. Then she whipped out fresh Pokeball and sent out her Crobat. 

"Do your thing, Frightful!" she shouted. 

The bat flew into action, looping around and around, darting in and out of the shadows while the slower Pokemon tried to keep up with it. Frightful spat a ball of light at it, leaving it dazzled and confused, and it accidentally attacked its own tail in its confusion. While it was still dealing with that, Frightful swooped in and bit it sharply wherever it could find an opening. The Steelix began looking a little unsteady, as if it couldn't find its balance, and Aurora realized that the bat's poisonous fangs were going into operation. She let him get in a few final bites before pulling him back and drawing out the next Pokemon. 

"Get back in, Moondancer!" she ordered. 

The little Pokemon jumped back into action, leaping around and biting at whatever part of the Steelix she could get at, deftly avoiding its crushing coils and pointed tail, kicking up clouds of dust so she couldn't be seen, fading in and out of the shadows. When she began looking tired, Aurora drew her back again and sent Blabberbeak the Murkrow into the battle. He squawked insults as he tried to peck at the Steelix's eyes. 

"It's gonna take all night at this rate," Laine muttered. 

"I think she's doing a very good job," said Lapis. "She can't rely on a type advantage, so she's keeping him poisoned and confused so the Steelix can't fight back, and then wearing him down. Good strategy." 

"It's still gonna take all night," Laine muttered. 

"I don't think so," said Falkner. 

At that moment, Aurora withdrew Blabberbeak and sent out her Skarmory. With his flashing beak and wings, he slashed at his weakened opponent. The Steelix tried to counterattack, but by that point, it didn't have much left. 

"She's winning!" Laine cheered. "Just one more hit should do it..." 

The audience leaned forward to watch as Aurora shouted a command... and suddenly, Rusty returned to his Pokeball. There was a frozen moment of confusion, and in that moment, Scar fluttered out of the shadows and pecked the Steelix on the nose. It looked almost like a kiss from a distance. The Steelix swayed in place, closed his eyes and dropped to the ground with a shattering _wham_. 

"Game over!" Jasmine called, calling back her fainted Pokemon. "Winner - Aurora!" 

"Yahoo!" she cheered, hugging Scar. "Way to go!" 

As she was collecting her Badge and her forfeit, her audience of four came forward to congratulate her. 

"You're a fine trainer, Aurora," said Jasmine. "You're going to go a long way, I think." 

"I'm sure of it," Falkner said. "Right now, I think she's going to Mahogany Town." 

"Should I?" asked Aurora. "I mean, it's going to be dangerous, isn't it?" 

"There will be some danger wherever you go," Falkner replied seriously. "Starting this evening, I won't be able to protect you anymore. I have to go to Kanto to talk to Lance, and that means I'll be gone for a couple of days, at least. I'll feel better if you're with someone I trust. Gym Leader Pryce is an old icicle, but he is trustworthy - and good protection. Clair herself would think twice about tangling with the Ice Master. You can stay with him until we get this whole matter dealt with. Besides," he added more lightly, "you can finish getting your Badges." 

"What good will it do?" she asked. "I only started collecting them so I could prove to Clair that I'm good enough, but now..." 

"Badges are always useful," said Morty. "Just having them makes your Pokemon more powerful. I didn't think you were the kind to stop once you'd started something." 

"Well, when you put it that way..." she said. 

"I'll come with you as far as the Gym," said Falkner. "After that, you're on your own." 

"Excuse me," said Laine. "What am I, an Apricorn bush?" 

"Spear, spear, spearow!" Scar put in. 

Morty laughed. "Something tells me this one is never going to be on her own." 

"True!" Falkner agreed. "Anyway, I need to leave as soon as possible. Do you need a lift back home, Morty?" 

"I will get home at my own pace and my own way," Morty replied. 

"Fine. Just don't hang around here too long," said Falkner. "Coming, ladies?" 

"In a minute," said Aurora. She turned to Jasmine and Lapis. "Sorry I couldn't stay longer, but... things are happening. I'll see if I can explain later." 

"Write us a letter as soon as you get settled into Mahogany Town," Lapis suggested. 

"I'll do that," said Aurora. 

"Come _on_," said Laine. She grabbed her friend by the arm and began dragging her outside. 

Night had fallen over Olivine, and the streets were dark and quiet. A night breeze tugged at Aurora's long hair. She looked thoughtfully up at the stars. 

*_It's almost over,_* she thought. *_Just one more Gym... I never thought I could do it, and now I'm almost done. I wonder what's going to happen next..._* 

Falkner opened a set of Pokeballs and released his Pidgeotto, while Aurora freed Skarmory for Laine's use. Aurora herself preferred to fly with Scar, but Laine didn't completely trust the power of the HM to keep her aloft with such a small bird. In a whirl of feathers, they took off into the night. For a while, they were silent, watching the scenery roll away beneath them. 

"Do ya think maybe we'll get to look at the Ice Caves while we're in Mahogany Town?" Laine asked. 

"Why? Do you want to?" Aurora replied. 

"Well, yes and no," said Laine. "I mean, that's where my dad was exploring, before he died." 

Aurora took a deep breath. It was now or never. "You know, about your dad... there's something I've got to tell you." 

Laine looked puzzled. "What do you know about my dad?" 

"Well, it's like this," said Aurora. "You remember when we got caught by those Rockets outside Ecruteak? I kind of overheard them talking..." She filled Laine in on what she'd heard the scientist say in the lab. Laine listened blankly. 

"They killed him?" she asked softly. 

Aurora nodded. "I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner. I just didn't want to upset you..." 

Laine didn't say anything. She turned her gaze away, to the north, toward the mountains and the Ice Pass. It was a long, quiet flight to Mahogany Town. 


	10. Stage Ten - The Power of Legends

**Stage Ten - The Power of Legend**

**By: SilvorMoon**

Aurora wondered why she was sleeping standing up. Or... was she standing up? It felt rather odd, the way she was bobbing gently up and down. Perhaps she was on a boat? She couldn't recall having gotten onto one. A wry thought scampered through her walf-wakened mind: perhaps she'd been captured by Rockets again. That would be an interesting way to start her day. She decided she had better open her eyes and see what they were up to this time. 

Opening her eyes showed her a vision of the sun just beginning to rise over a range of tall brown mountains, most of them capped with white snow that sparkled in the early morning light. Below her feet spread a dark carpet of trees speckled with lighter patches of grass where humans had managed to eke out a living space. Drawing nearer was a silvery shape that had to be a large lake nestled among the mountains. Resting at the edge of the lake, as if cast up there by its waves, was a town. It took Aurora a moment to process that the trees she was looking at were rolling slowly past her feet, and that she was a very long way up. 

"Yow!" she shouted, reflexively trying to scramble away from the drop. 

"Spear, spear, spear!" a voice above her head scolded. 

"Oops! Sorry, Scar!" said Aurora. 

"Spearow, spear, spearow." 

"I _do_ trust you," she said. "It's just that I'm not used to waking up a few hundred feet above the ground." 

"Oh, are you awake?" called a voice. "I expected you to sleep a while longer, after the hectic day you had yesterday." 

Aurora smiled a bit in Falkner's direction. "I'm an early bird." 

He grinned back. "Me, too." 

Feeling much more at ease, Aurora settled back as best she could to enjoy the rest of her ride. Yesterday, she and her companions had been on the far end of Johto; it was only natural that it would take some time to fly all the way from the ocean at one end to the mountains at the other. She must have fallen asleep in midair. It was a credit to her Spearow that he had managed the flight without waking her. Now it appeared there were only a few minutes left of the trip; the city ahead must be Mahogany Town, and the glimmer beyond it the Lake of Rage. Seeing it gave her a slight lurch inside; this was home to the final Gym she had set out to tackle, and once it was dealt with... 

"Do you think we should wake your friend up?" Falkner asked. 

"Let her sleep," Aurora replied. "She's always a grump in the morning. Of course, once she wakes up, she won't be able to stand still, but for now..." 

"We'll let her rest, then," said Falkner. "It's not as if there's anything she needs to be awake for, anyway. Not yet." 

An amused voice that was not a voice commented, _You ask me to do interesting things, silver-haired one. I thought I was to carry a human, not a sack of potatoes._

Aurora gave a mock-stern glare at the Skarmory who was carrying Laine. 

"Hush," she told him, "or I'll drop you in the lake." 

"Is he always like that?" asked Falkner. 

"When dealing with something that has claws like his," Aurora answered, "I let him talk any way he wants." 

Rusty the Skarmory made the ringing-bell noise that was his way of laughing. Hearing the noise, Laine stirred a bit, yawning and stretching. 

"'S too early," she mumbled. 

"Are you awake now?" asked Aurora. 

"No," said Laine grouchily, "but I might as well get up anyway. It's not like I'm gettin' any sleep." 

"You were sleeping just fine a minute ago," Falkner pointed out. 

"No, I wasn't," answered Laine, in a clipped tone that was unlike her usual drawl. "I was having dreams." 

"That one again?" asked Aurora sympathetically. 

"Yes," Laine snapped. "Only this one was worse, because there was a bunch of Rockets standin' around laughin' at him." 

"Don't worry about that," said Falkner grimly. "We'll get those Rockets dealt with... Here we are. Land here, please, Windstorm." 

The Pidgeotto that had been carrying him obediently began to glide toward the earth, followed by Scar and Rusty. They landed lightly in the middle of a pebbled pathway that curved like a brown-scaled snake toward a pair of tall gates. The gates were made of logs with the bark still attached, rusty-brown and shaggy. A sign arched between the two tall logs, with the name "Mahogany Town" carved deeply into the weathered wood. 

"Our destination," said Falkner, "or at least, yours. This is were I must leave you." 

"Can't you stay any longer?" asked Aurora, without much hope. She was still bewildered by the situation she was caught in, and she felt safer when she knew Falkner was around. 

"Time is of the essence," he reminded her. "Lance has to hear about what's going on, and he has to hear it now. I can't trust information of this importance to anyone else. I have to go." 

"I know," she said. She sighed. 

"Buck up, fledgling," he said. "I'll be back soon, with help. We'll get this mess cleaned up. In the meantime, you'll be safe here with Pryce." He winced a little. "I'm not over-fond of him, to tell the truth, but he _is_ a formidable fighter when he wants to be. After what the Rockets did last time they came to his town, I don't think he'd allow another within a mile of you two. Now, hurry along. I'm not fond of long goodbyes. Take care of yourselves!" 

He waved a final farewell, and his Pidgeotto whisked him up into the sky again. Aurora watched until he disappeared beyond the treetops. Laine scowled at her. 

"Are we gonna go into town?" she demanded. "Or are you just gonna stand there and moon over your boyfriend a while?" 

"We're going to go into town," Aurora replied, ignoring the jibe. "Come on, Rusty! Back in your Ball." 

_I thought you were going to throw me in the lake first,_ he said. 

She shook her head. "I would have to get a Pokemon who wants to be a comedian. In!" 

The Ball clicked open, and Rusty obediently disappeared in a flash of orange light. Clipping the ball back to her belt, Aurora walked into the town with her friends trailing after her. 

Aurora had noted that every town and city she'd visited had its own particular charm, from the gleaming towers of her home in Goldenrod City to the simple grassy town of Azalea. This town did not disappoint her. Despite its small size, the town had an air of solidarity, something that echoed the influence of the mountains around it. The streets were of cobblestones, rounded by mountain streams and smoothed further by years of passing feet. Sturdy logs or granite bricks formed the houses; they looked like they would be warm and comforting when the winter snows came. Even in the summertime, breezes from the snow-capped mountains made the air pleasantly cool and crisp. 

*_This is a good place,_* she decided. *_I've been up and down Johto, and I don't think I've seen a single town I haven't liked... except maybe Blackthorn... but I don't have to go there anymore. Do I?_* 

"What do you think, Laine?" she asked. "Don't you think this is a nice place? I don't think I'd mind staying here a while." 

"It's all right," said Laine. She looked distracted, and her eyes kept straying toward the mountains with their icy peaks. "I wouldn' wanna live here, though." 

Aurora felt a stab of concern; she wasn't used to her friend being this subdued. 

"Are you all right?" she asked. 

"Kinda," Laine replied. "I was just thinking... that's where Dad died, up there on those mountains. It was bad enough, thinkin' he just slipped an' fell, but thinkin' someone _pushed_ him, just because of some stupid papers... I oughta just throw the things in the fireplace." 

"No," said Aurora. "He wouldn't want you to do that. Remember your dream? He's counting on you to finish what he started, so he won't have done all that work for nothing. And don't talk about the papers - unless you want a Rocket after you, too. They don't know you have them, and I want it to stay that way." 

"Guess you're right," said Laine. "All right, I'll finish... and _then_ I'll burn 'em so nobody else will try." 

"That's more like it," said Aurora. 

They reached the Gym. It was almost invisible from a distance, nestled among a stand of green-black pine trees. It was built like a log cabin, only on a grand scale; it would have easily have provided living space for dozens of people, if the area had been divided up into rooms. The only other thing that differentiated it from the rest of the cabins in the town was a statue that perched above its front door. It was made of something like crystal or ice, making it flash in eye- dazzling patterns. As Aurora came closer, she could see that it was made in the shape of a graceful bird with a flowing tail and outstretched wings. 

"What's that?" asked Aurora. 

"Articuno," Laine answered. "The legendary bird of ice. Surprised you hadn't heard of it." 

"I've heard of it," said Aurora. "It's just that I've never seen one." 

Laine shrugged. "Most people haven't. There's only one, and I think it's currently being trained by that Ash Ketchum guy... They say it used to appear to people lost in mountain storms, just before they died. I wonder if my dad saw one?" 

"I don't know," said Aurora, not sure what else to say. 

Much to her surprise, Laine grinned at her. "Hope he did. Nothin' would have made him happier than to see a rare Pokemon before he died." 

They walked up to the door, and Aurora took a moment to admire the crystal statue before trying the door latch. The bird stared down at her with eyes of blue stone that looked eerily alive. She pulled the handle and found it locked. 

"Hey!" she squawked. "What gives?" 

"Maybe Pryce doesn't like unexpected guests?" Laine suggested. 

"He's a Gym Leader. He's _supposed_ to get unexpected guests," Aurora replied. She rapped sharply on the door. "Hey! Is anyone in there? Let us in?" 

There was no answer from within, but Aurora thought she heard a faint rustling and muttering. Someone _was_ home; they were just refusing to open the door. She scowled. 

"I know you can hear me!" she said. "Let us in! We were sent by Gym Leader Falkner! He told us to find Pryce!" 

More muttering from within. Scar squawked loudly and began pecking on the door, leaving a collection of gouges in the pine wood. There were resigned noises on the other side of the door, and then footsteps. The door opened to reveal a pair of young people who stared at them suspiciously. Aurora stared back. 

They were obviously trainers of some sort; they were dressed in matching snow-white uniforms that accented their dark skin and hair. The one on the right was a male, with short- cropped hair, while the one on the right was female and wore a long dark braid. Other than that, they were as identical as two human beings could be. 

"Hello," said the boy. "I am sorry to keep you waiting. I am Yukiko, and this is my twin Miyuki. We are the apprentices of Gym Leader Pryce." He spoke with a faint accent that hinted of places far away. 

"We are very sorry," said Miyuki, "but you cannot speak to the Gym Leader today." 

"What?" asked Laine. "Why not? Don't tell me _he's_ not home, either." 

"He is home now, but he will not be for long," answered Yukiko. "He is about to embark on an expedition." 

"Important stuff's going on," said Laine. "His expedition can wait." 

Miyuki's smile was wry. "I believe you will have an interesting time explaining that to Gym Leader Pryce." 

Before Laine could manage a retort, a man rushed into the room. Like the two young trainers, he was dressed in white; unlike them, he was not at all young. What was left of his hair was as white as his clothing, but his eyes were as dark and hard as mountain stones. He was a handspan shorter than Aurora, putting him just a little below even Laine's eye level, but he moved with an energy that made Aurora feel that she would have a better chance standing up to a Machoke than to this man if he got angry. Right now, he looked well on his way to being angry. 

"Well?" he demanded of the twins. "What are you lollygagging around here for? I told you half an hour ago to bring my bags out here! Where is my gear? Where are my maps?" 

"With all due respect, Gym Leader," said Yukiko with a slight bow, "we have been detained." 

"Detained, my ice pick! That's no excuse," the man - Pryce - snapped. "When I tell you to do a thing, you don't make excuses, you do it! Now, go get my things. Hup!" 

The twins made identical bows and scampered off, one in one direction, one in the other. Pryce watched them with disapproval. 

"Kids today," he muttered. "No respect, no gumption! Not like it was in my day..." 

"Um, excuse me," said Aurora timidly. 

The man whirled on her. "What do you want? The Gym's closed today. Scat!" 

"That's not what we wanted," Aurora said. "We were sent here by Falkner, the Leader from Violet City-" 

"I know who Falkner is," said Pryce. "Knew his father, too. And his grandfather. Whole lot of them together didn't have enough spine to fill a thimble. What has that featherbrained excuse for a Gym Leader sent you here for?" 

Aurora hesitated. She was surprised to hear the man she admired so much being talked about in that way. It suddenly seemed like Falkner's word wouldn't be nearly enough to get this man to listen to her. 

"He sent us here," said Laine, "on account of those no-account schemin' Rockets, what are trying to kill us. He figured you'd teach 'em a thing or three, if they got on your bad side." 

"Too right, they would!" said Pryce. "If I catch any of them hanging around my Gym, I'll see them hauled into the Ice Caves and pitched down a crevice! Lucky for them and unlucky for you, I'm not going to be here today." 

"Where are you going?" asked Aurora, dismayed. "Can't it wait?" 

"It can't wait," Pryce answered impatiently, "and I'm going on an expedition." 

"We know _that_," said Laine. "Tweedledee and Tweedledum already told us that much. Were are you expeditionin' to?" 

Pryce gave her a calculating look. "To the Ice Caves. Nowhere little girls like you want to go." 

"I'm not a little girl. Neither is she," said Laine. "We've already gotten through Rockets and policemen and scientists and Forest Guardian knows what else, and we can get through some stupid caves." 

"Humph," said Pryce, giving her another hard stare. "Who are you, anyway?" 

"Elaine Harvester," she answered. "That's Aurora Cummings. She a trainer. Darn good one, too." 

"I'm sure," he answered, looking at Aurora mistrustfully. Then his gaze flicked back to Laine. "Harvester, eh? Marcus's daughter, I'll wager. Knew he had a young sprat, before he kicked the bucket. Never thought to find out what happened to her. Hm..." 

For a moment, he stared out the window. Then, holding up a finger like an exclamation point, he scuttled out of the room. A few minutes later, he came back in again, carrying a large and rather battered-looking sheet of paper, yellow and creased. He spread it out on a small table and beckoned for the girls to come and look at it. 

"What do you know about this?" he asked Laine. 

"Hey!" she squawked. "That's my dad's handwriting! Where'd you get that?" 

"He left it in my care, years ago," Pryce answered. "Liked your father. He had grit. He knew he could trust me, so he left me these papers. I've been puzzling over them for years, trying to figure them out. They're in code, see, look." He gestured at the paper, which was patterned with a variety of symbols in multicolored ink. Laine and Aurora bent forward for a better look; Scar fluttered up to perch on the back of a chair. 

"I've been a long time translating these," said Pryce. "These lines here - they're part of a map. The rest are his notes." 

"What do they say?" asked Laine. 

"I'll read you the important bit," he said. He cleared his throat. "_It has been documented that the Legendary Birds are unable to reproduce naturally - indeed, as they are the only specimens of their kind. Yet, from a profusion of documents tracing back to the most ancient times, we can conclude that there has always been an Articuno. There has even been documented cases of it being captured and trained. Yet, no creature can live forever. It is my believe that Articuno has ways of reproducing itself asexually, as the Phoenix of legend was said to do..._" Pryce trailed off. "Marcus Harvester believed that the legendary Articuno could reproduce itself by means of something he termed a "snow egg". He even believed he knew the location of its nest, and he set out looking for it. His compatriots thought he was crazy." 

"And what about you?" asked Aurora quietly. 

"I," he replied, "am going to look for that egg." 

"Not without me, you don't!" said Laine. 

Pryce glared at her. "Foolish child. What did you think I was telling you all this for? Just to pass the time?" 

"Woo-hoo!" Laine cheered. "Now you're speakin' my language!" 

Pryce looked lofty. "I wouldn't sink to speaking language like yours. I just don't trust those two chucklehead apprentices of mine to be of any use. At least you know something of the work." 

"What about me?" asked Aurora. "I'm not staying behind!" 

"Why not?" asked Pryce. He gave Scar one of his looks, then glanced back at Aurora. "You train Flying-types, yes?" 

"Mostly." 

"Useless," said Pryce. "Flying-types don't have any place in the Ice Caves. They're weak against Ice, and everything and it's cousin is Ice in there." 

"He's right, you know," said Laine apologetically. 

"No, he's not," answered Aurora. "As a matter of fact, you _need_ me to come." 

"What?" Pryce barked. "Silly girl, what are you talking about?" 

"If you want to find the Articuno, you need me to come along," Aurora repeated. "You need me to talk to him. Falkner told me all the Gym Leaders who have affinities, and you don't have one. I do. Articuno is a Flying-type, so I'll be able to communicate with him for you when you find him." 

For a moment, Pryce looked like he wanted to get angry; obviously no one had dared to speak to him like that in a long time. Then he took a deep breath and got himself under control. 

"You could be right," he said slowly. He turned his sharp eyes back to Scar, then to the Badges arrayed along the hem of Aurora's shirt. "You'll be wanting the Glacier Badge eventually, I suppose?" 

"I think so," she said. 

"You'll never be able to beat me," he said, looking back at Scar. "I'd freeze him into a popsicle faster than you can say 'apricorn'." 

"What's your point?" she said. 

"I'll make you a deal," he replied. "Come with me and help me find Articuno, and I'll give you the Glacier Badge." Seeing her hesitate, he added, "It's the only way you'll ever get it." 

Laine nudged Aurora in the ribs. "You got the last one fair. You can take this one without hurting your conscience too much." 

"All right," Aurora replied. "You've got yourself a deal." 

Aurora and Pryce shook hands. Like anyone making an honest deal, they kept their eyes on each other, so none of them saw a face that had been peering through the window suddenly turn and vanish into the trees. 

~*~

Clair beat her fist on a table with such force that one of her fingernails broke. She scowled at her hands, not liking what she saw. Blue veins showed too prominently through her pale skin, skin that showed the beginning of age's translucent thinness. Were they still as strong as they used to be? 

*_I will not lose my grip. I cannot. I will not lose everything I've worked for now..._* 

Behind her, she heard a slam, and she whirled in place to see what had caused it. The door to her room, which should have stood closed and locked, had been flung open. A man in a dark suit was now the only thing between her and the rest of the world. The two of them glared at each other with identical expressions of cold anger. 

"What are you doing here?" Clair hissed. "Don't you know better than to enter without knocking? _Especially_ with a locked door." 

"Locks have long since ceased to bother me," said Giovanni, in a voice like a knife across a whetstone. "What bothers me is having my authority flaunted." 

"I've done no such thing," said Clair, looking affronted. 

"Sometime in the early hours of yesterday morning, you dispatched a crew of my men to Olivine City," he said, as if he hadn't heard her. "You sent them with orders to enter the Olivine City Gym in the absence of its Leader and to place various items of Rocket paraphernalia there. You did this without my permission or my knowledge, with my men and my supplies. You did it because you were afraid and trying to cover your tracks. Is this not true?" 

"It was necessary," said Clair. "If I didn't do something-" 

"If you didn't do something," he cut in, "I would have dealt with the situation myself. As it is, you have broken one of the Rocket laws by interfering directly with the Gym Leaders. You have violated our contract with the Elite Four and the Pokemon League." 

"So what?" Clair snapped. "You're criminals, aren't you? What do you need with rules and contracts?" 

"Without those rules and contracts, we would not be a team, would we?" he asked, dangerously soft. "Without rules, there would be no order among us. The unity I have attempted to bring about would be destroyed, and my empire would be nothing more than a band of lawless savages." 

"Well, I'm not part of your little band, am I?" she asked. 

"You became part of it when you agreed to make deals with me," Giovanni retorted. 

Clair gasped, outraged. "I am not part of your raggle-taggle bunch of hooligans!" 

"You aren't?" he asked. "Funny, you've been awfully free lately with telling them what to do. You don't find us so distasteful when we're doing as you tell us. Well, the tie binds both ways. You _are_ one of us now." 

"Never!" 

Giovanni smiled. "Perhaps you're right. You're not even good enough to be one of us. You're as low as you can go, Clair. Even I have more respect with the Elite Four than you do, now. I am what I always have been, and I've never claimed to be anything else. You, on the other hand, have betrayed the very source of your power." 

"I _am_ my source of power!" she snapped. 

"Then why do you need me?" 

There was silence in the room. In that silence, they heard the sound of footfalls hurrying up the hall. Giovanni could recognize them as easily as a voice; he knew, by now, what the sound of standard-issue Rocket boots sounded like when their owner was in a hurry. Within seconds, a man in a black suit came dashing up to the doorway, and Giovanni stood aside to let him enter. 

"Come in," he said graciously. "Clair and I were just having a little talk." 

The Rocket said nothing; he knew better than to get involved with the doings of his superiors. He made a bow to Giovanni and another to Clair. 

"My lady," he said, "I have just received a message by express Zubat. One of our spies has found the girl you're looking for. She's in Mahogany Town with Gym Leader Pryce." 

"Are you still looking for that girl?" Giovanni commented. "She's certainly done better than you thought she would, hasn't she?" 

"Shut up," Clair barked. She turned back to the Rocket. "So, she was with Pryce? What were they doing? What were they talking about?" 

"He couldn't hear everything," he said, "but they were talking about going to the Ice Caves to look for something, and Pryce agreed that if she would help him find it, he'd give her the Badge." 

"The seventh Badge," Clair whispered. "No! If she collects the final Badge, she'll come back here. She must not get it!" She was digging her nails into her palms in agitation; the sharp edge of the freshly-broken nail was drawing blood without her even seeming to realize it. 

"Stop her, then, O most powerful one," Giovanni said. 

"I will," she replied. "I will find a way to stop her!" 

"How? Pryce is an Ice Master. Were he to release the full force of his powers on you, even you would have to back down. Or have you forgotten that Ice is your mortal enemy?" 

"I haven't forgotten," she said. "I... I can still stop her. I'll make sure she never gets out of those caves." 

Giovanni gave her a critical look. "You will do this yourself? You really want this girl's blood on your hands?" 

She looked down at her palms, where a line of red was still seeping over her skin, staining her fingers red. For a moment, the look in her eyes was bewildered, frightened. Then she looked up and nodded. 

"You'll need help. Your dragons will perish if you send them to the Ice Caves." 

"See to it, then," she snapped. 

"You're asking me to help you? You're admitting that you cannot do this alone, that there is something that your powers alone cannot accomplish?" 

"I don't care what I can and can't do! I want that girl dead! Even if I have to beg you to make it happen..." She trailed off, panting, her eyes wild. 

Giovanni nodded to the Rocket. "Go. I want to talk to Clair alone. Wait behind the building until I get back." 

The Rocket sprinted out of the room. Clair dropped into her chair, and Giovanni watched her with an expression that was strangely like pity. 

"You know," he said, "you would really be better off if you gave up now." 

"Turn myself in?" she said in a voice that broke. "Never! They'd execute me! They'd lock me up forever!" 

"Leave, then. Disappear. I know places where it can be done. Forget all this and let me look after things for you." 

"Never! You can't fool me," she hissed. "I know what you're after. All this time you've been panting after me like a dog..." 

"You have a sickness," he told her. "I did not fully see it at first. That is my fault... I overestimated your capacity for this work." 

She narrowed her eyes. "What are you talking about?" 

He shrugged. "There are those drink wine because they are thirsty. Then there are those who drink because they cannot help themselves, because they have a weakness inside." 

"What are you getting at?" 

"Power is a dangerous drink, Clair. I've seen those who will take it until they are sick with it, and die claiming they would yet live if they just had a little more. You have that weakness inside you, and you are rapidly reaching the danger point. Back out now, before it's too late." 

"I've had enough of you," she snarled. She seized a mirror from her dresser and hurled it across the room at him. He ducked out of the way, and it smashed against the wall and fell to earth in a hundred splintered bits. Giovanni eyed the mess dispassionately. 

"So I see," he said. "Very well. I abide by your decision. I will also tell you this: I will not work with anyone with this kind of weakness. You will get no more favors from me, or my men. From this point onward, we are through." 

He walked quietly out the door. Clair stared after him, stunned. She could not believe what she had just heard. 

"Wait! Where are you going?" she shouted. "Come back here! You can't leave me like this! You can't!" 

She ran to the door, but it was closed again, and she knew that if she opened it, there would be no one on the other side. She slumped to her knees next to the broken mirror. There were bits of glass the color of ice all over her carpet, and she tried to gather them together, but the mirror was broken and she could not mend it again. The sharp edges sliced at her hands, and she let the pieces drop, spilling ice and blood onto her pale carpet. 

~*~

Aurora trudged along the road that led out of Mahogany town and toward the mountainous region that housed the Ice Caves. She should have been excited, but it would have been easier if she hadn't been so uncomfortable. 

"Do we really hafta wear all this?" Laine complained. 

She, Aurora, and Pryce were all outfitted the same way, in thick boots and heavy coats. They were, Pryce had told them proudly, the very best materials - fluffy Delibird down filled the coats, and the lining was of thick Piloswine fur. That, plus the boots and mittens and scarves they were forced to wear, would keep them warm even in the darkest, iciest regions. That was fine and well if they happened to be in dark, icy places, but right now, the sun was shining brightly, and the air was only gently cool. Under the carpet-like coats, the weather was almost intolerable. 

"Of course we have to wear it!" Pryce shouted at her. "If you didn't have to wear it, you wouldn't be wearing it! You'll be thankful enough for it when we get to the caves - you'll probably be wishing you were wearing three or four more layers, once we get underground properly! Kids these days - let them get just a little uncomfortable, and they think it's the end of the world...." 

"Nice going, Laine," Aurora whispered, as the old man continued to rant. "Now we get to be overheated _and_ yelled at." 

Laine smiled sheepishly. "Guess I shoulda known better. I hear tell this guy spends a few hours every day standin' under a mountain waterfall to toughen himself up. He's probably numb all over by now." 

"Maybe so!" Aurora agreed. She turned to look at Scar, the only member of the party who was not burdened down with extra clothing. "Are you sure you don't want to come inside a PokeBall, where's it's warm? You aren't going to like it inside the Ice Caves. Ice really isn't good for bird Pokemon." 

Scar gave a screech to let her know what his opinion on this was. The Ice Caves were dangerous, and he was not going to let her go in there without his protection. She grinned at him. 

"All right, have it your way," she said. "Just don't come complaining to me when you get frost on your feathers." 

Scar, intent on stalking a Pineco, declined to comment. 

After several very warm minutes of walking, they found themselves at the entrance of the caves. Blaine peered inside. From where Aurora stood, it looked very dark. Pryce frowned. 

"If I get my hands on this idiot..." he muttered. 

"Which one? There are lots," said Laine. 

"The one who turned the lights out in this infernal cave!" Pryce snapped. "Normally, there are lights in here so people can find their way around, but today..." 

"Do you think it could have been a Rocket?" asked Aurora. 

"If it was, he'll regret it," said Pryce. He scowled at the dark cave. "I wasn't counting on this. I didn't ask for any lamps, and my apprentices wouldn't have thought to pack any. They do exactly what they're told - no more, no less. When I think they might be put in charge of my Gym when I'm gone..." 

"Would a Flash HM be useful now?" asked Aurora. 

Pryce stared at her for a second. "Yes. A Flash HM would be very useful. Do you have one, or were you just talking hypothetically?" 

"I have one," she said. "I got it back in Violet City, after the thing with the Bellsprouts. I haven't taught it to anyone yet, but..." 

"Well, don't just stand there! Are you going to use it, or are you going to wait for me to die of old age?" 

"Hold your Houndours," she muttered. She went through her Pokegear and pulled out the long-unused black box. Then, after some consideration, she withdrew her Umbreon. She chittered at her happily. Aurora couldn't understand her speech the way she could her birds, but she could tell that Moondancer was happy to be out in the fresh air again and eager for new adventures. 

"Hello, Moondancer," she said. "I have a present for you." 

She set the box down on the ground next to Moondancer and pressed her Zephyr Badge into its slot. Instantly, the box shot out a beam of light that struck the jewel in Moondancer's forehead. The light shone steadily for a few moments, and then disappeared. 

"I think that did it," Aurora replied. "Let's go." 

They stepped into the cave. Instantly, Aurora was hit by a blast of icy air, rushing up from a hole deep in the earth. Moondancer trotted bravely forward. She was wrapped in her fluffy black fur and didn't seem to mind the cold. A glow of light followed her, and the humans and bird followed closely behind. With the help of some handy Escape Rope, they were able to clamber down the shaft and into the Ice Caves. 

Reaching the bottom, Aurora looked around gasped, and the sound echoed around her until it sounded as if the earth was breathing. All around her, every inch of space was covered in glittering ice crystals, looking like thousands of diamonds as they caught the light and reflected it. The roof above her shimmered with a million crystal stars; the ground was a smooth sheet of glass. She had a few moments to take in the sight before a foot came down and stepped on her head. 

"Hey!" she squeaked. 

"Watch it!" said Laine. "Some of us are tryin' to climb here!" 

"Quiet!" Pryce hissed. The warning was almost unnecessary; as soon as the girls had spoken, the faceted walls and ceiling had caught the words and echoed them until the caves were full of voices. They finished the climb in silence. 

Once they were properly inside the Ice Caves, they set off through the tunnels, with Moondancer proudly leading the way, then Pryce with his maps, then Laine, Aurora, and Scar. For a while, the walk was nice enough - it was a relief to be out of the heat, and the surroundings were, at least early on, fantastic. However, the further they walked, the more Aurora became aware of the cold, and the deeper its hold became on her nose and toes and fingers. She tried covering her face with a glove, but it didn't seem to help. She shivered a bit. 

Scar seemed to be having similar troubles. The ceiling was too low for him to be able to fly properly, and his claws skidded on the slick floor. He hopped along doggedly, fluffing his feathers and muttering to himself. 

"Don't blame me," Aurora told him. "You could be in a nice, warm PokeBall right now, if you had listened to me." 

"Spearow!" he squawked irritably. 

"What's your problem?" asked Laine. The temperature didn't seem to be bothering her; she was as fresh and cheerful as ever. 

"We're cold," Aurora admitted. 

"You shouldn't be so skinny," said Laine. "I think it's nice down here." 

"Cold, is it?" Pryce said. "I told you you'd be appreciating these coats by the time you got down here!" 

"I'm okay," said Aurora defensively. "I'm just worried about Scar. All this ice isn't good for him." 

"Humph. Why don't you put him away where he belongs?" 

"He won't go in," Aurora explained. "His first trainer abused him, and - and he doesn't like being inside PokeBalls! They make him feel captured. We made a deal, when we first met, that I wouldn't make him stay in one as long as he agreed to follow me." 

"Is that it?" Pryce muttered. "Let me talk to him." 

"You don't speak bird-talk," said Aurora. 

"Yes, but he understands human well enough. Most Pokemon do," he retorted. He walked over to where Scar stood and hooked a finger under his sharp beak, forcing him to look up into Pryce's eyes. The man was so short, he barely had to bend over to be on Scar's eye level. 

"Now, you listen to me," he barked. "You think this is cold, huh? It's only going to get colder from here on in. We're going off the beaten path, bucko, and it's going to be a tough journey. Your trainer is going to need everything she's got to come through it in one piece, got it? That means she can't be worrying about you. There's nothing you can do down here to protect her, and she's going to need all her concentration. If she's worrying about you, she's not going to be taking care of herself, understand? Now, you get in that Ball where you belong." 

Scar made a rasping noise in the back of his throat. Pryce nodded and let him go. 

"He'll listen to you now," he said. 

"Scar," said Aurora, "please come back into your PokeBall." 

She opened the Ball, and Scar allowed himself to be pulled inside. Aurora shut the Ball with a resigned snap. Intellectually, she knew she was probably quite safe in the company of Pryce and Laine, and that Moondancer would do everything in her surprising power to keep Aurora safe, it still wasn't the same. Aurora liked Moondancer very much, but Scar was special, her first Pokemon and her best friend. 

More than that, she couldn't _talk_ to Moondancer the way she could with Scar. She had tried a few times, but Moondancer's thoughts were - it was hard to think of any other word for it - _fuzzy._ When she talked to Scar or Rusty or any of her other flyers, their replies came to her as clearly as words. From Moondancer, she could only get feelings, intentions, impressions. It wasn't the same as having a real conversation. She couldn't make jokes with her the way she could with Rusty, or banter as she did with Scar and Blabberbeak. 

*_I wanted to train dragons,_* she mused. *_Could I learn to talk to them? Probably not - at least, not the way I do with birds. Well, maybe the Dragonites, but how many of those would anyone want? The rest of them are mostly watery things. I wouldn't get along with them. What am I going to do, then? Even if I finished all this, even if everything had gone the way I'd planned, I still wouldn't be happy..._* 

Wrapped up in her thoughts, Aurora barely noticed where they were going. Where they were going seemed to be largely up, scrambling over heaps of broken rock that were not quite stairways and along ice flows that were not quite paths. More than once, Aurora slipped, but never seriously. Even in the bulky coat, she was still small and agile enough to get over and around things that would have given a larger person. Laine had a bit more trouble, but she was tough and determined, and managed well enough. Pryce acted as if it were all just a walk in the park, save for making frequent checks of his maps and the papers Laine had loaned him. 

"We're going off the beaten path in a bit," he said. "There should be something like a - not a door, but a passage that we can open up. According to this, anyway, it was sealed off to keep people from getting to the nesting grounds." 

"How are we going to get it open?" asked Aurora. 

Laine grinned. "That'll be the easy part, I think." 

Aurora wanted to say more, and she would have, only something was tugging at the edges of her awareness that she wanted to track down. She spun in a small circle, scanning the dark corners of the cavern. Something light-colored was flitting through the shadows. 

"Hey, you!" she called. "Come here! Don't worry, we won't hurt you." 

Out of the darkness stepped a birdlike creature, covered with short, fluffy, almost fur-like feathers that would keep it warm in the dark cavern. It had a large sack slung over its shoulder. When it hear Aurora's call, it waddled forward, and, like an avian Santa Claus, pulled a package out of its bag and offered it to her. 

"No, thank you," said Aurora. The bird gave a resigned sigh and popped the gift back into its sack. 

"Whaddaya know?" said Laine. "A Delibird. You don't see one of those every day." 

"Good thing, too. They're tricky beasts," Pryce muttered. "You're smart not to take gifts from strangers or Delibirds. Some of those packages explode, and he doesn't always remember which are which." 

"Bird, bird, delibird!" said the Delibird. 

"Really?" asked Aurora. "That's strange. I would have thought this place didn't get too many visitors." 

"Is that thing talking to you?" asked Laine. "But it can't fly, can it?" 

Aurora shrugged. "It's still a bird. I understand him just fine. He says there's a stranger bumping around near his nesting ground, and would we do something about it?" 

"Bird, bird, delibird, bird, bird, deli delibird bird." 

"He says Delibirds may not have the best manners, but he still knows better than to go stomping around where there are eggs." 

"Delibird, bird, bird, delibird." 

"He says they're learning their lesson now, whatever that means," Aurora translated. 

"Lesson?" Laine repeated. 

Pryce shrugged. "Pretty dumb, to go messing with Delibird eggs, if you ask me. Has to be a Rocket. No one else is that stupid." 

"Great," said Laine. "We get to take a detour. More tromping around in the dark." 

"Maybe," said Aurora. "Delibird, what does the person look like? The one near your eggs?" 

The Delibird squeaked and chirped a bit more, and Aurora listened intently. She sighed. 

"I thought so," she said. "Only one Rocket I know fits that description. Ember's following us again." 

"Ember?" Laine repeated. "He sure got here fast." 

"He probably flew on his Charizard," said Aurora. "I know if I were him, I'd get out of Olivine City as fast as I could, after what happened there." 

"What happened? Who's Ember?" Pryce demanded, practically jumping up and down in his annoyance at being left out of the conversation. 

"He's kind of an ex-Rocket," said Aurora. "Sort of a friend... he gets in our way a lot, anyway. Then again, he helps out a lot, too. He's kind of hard to explain." 

"Oh," said Pryce. He looked disappointed that there would not be any Rockets to fight. "I guess that means you want to go rescue him, right?" 

"I guess," said Aurora. She looked at Laine, who was frowning. "What's your problem? You were all for rescuing him last time he got into trouble." 

"That time was different," said Laine. 

"Different how?" asked Aurora. Without waiting for an answer, she said, "Can you please wait for a minute, Pryce? I don't think this will take very long, if the Delibird will show me the way." 

The Delibird chattered some more. He would be glad to show her the way if it meant it got the intruding human away from his nesting ground. 

"No, I will not wait," he said. "The last thing we need is to get separated down here. Idiot girl! You should know better than that. If one goes, we all go." 

Laine didn't look pleased at that, but she made no comment. The three of them, followed by Moondancer, followed the Delibird through a series of winding tunnels and down a long ice slide. Near the bottom, they found an open area full of piles of snow, where a large number of Delibirds, some of them lying on clutches of eggs, some tending to fluffy, toddling chicks. Lying on the far edge of the area, well away from the birds, was a huddled figure in a snow-speckled coat. It was so heavily bundled that Aurora could make out nothing of the form, but she could clearly see the telltale wisps of red hair that showed beneath his cap. 

"Ember!" Aurora shouted. "Hey, Ember, are you okay?" 

No answer. She hurried to his side and found him lying very still, eyes closed, but when she shook him, he stirred a little. 

"Cold," he complained. "Let me sleep." 

"None of that, now," said Pryce, pushing forward. "Come on, son, wake up. You can't lie there all day... We need something to warm this fellow up. Are any of you carrying any Fire-types with you?" 

"Not me. I'm a bird trainer," said Aurora. "Do you think I'm carrying Moltres in my pocket?" 

"Don't look at me," said Pryce. "My Ice-types are pretty pointless in this situation." 

"Hm," said Laine. She looked like she was making some serious decisions. Finally, with a slight shrug, she flipped open a Pokeball. A number of Delibirds scrambled to get out of the way as a Snorlax materialized. 

"Will this do?" she asked. 

Pryce grinned. "Perfectly. Better than fire, actually. Thaw him out more gradually. Here, let's see how we can arrange this." 

With some awkwardness, they managed to get Ember folded between the Snorlax's warm, furry body and one of its huge arms. While he was thawing out, Pryce made an inspection of his fingers and toes, checking for frostbite. By the time he was finished, he had determined that there was no lasting damage done, and Ember was starting to wake up. 

"Where am I?" he said faintly. "What's going on? And why am I sitting on a Snorlax?" 

"It's keeping you warm, so you don't freeze to death," Aurora replied. "Hello again, Fire- top. You must really like the bottoms of caves - we keep having to haul you out of them." 

"You again," he said grumpily. "If I didn't have my arms pinned to my sides right now, I'd happily strangle you. How do I get this thing to let go of me?" 

"You don't, just yet," said Pryce. "Not until we're sure you're over your hypothermia. If I have to interrupt what I'm doing to save your life, I want to make sure you at least do me the favor of staying saved. Do you mind me asking what possessed you to come down here wearing not much more protection than a simple winter coat? And what in the name of Suicune are you doing down here? We left the main path to Mahogany Town miles back." 

"I was trying to get to Mahogany town through the Ice Caves - well, the only other road is through Blackthorn, and I was _not_ ready to go there. I didn't know it was this cold down here," he said, sounding apologetic. "And then I got lost. Then some stupid Delibird popped up and threw something at me that exploded, and I fell down and wound up here. Then I couldn't get back again. I tried to get Charizard to keep me warm for a while, but the ice started to get to him, and when the ceiling started to melt and drip on him, I got worried, so I put him away for a while..." 

"A while too long, obviously," said Pryce. 

"Well, he's safe now," said Laine. "Go on, Roadblock. Let him go." 

The Snorlax rolled a little, and Ember slipped from its grip and fell onto the icy floor. He landed on his feet, staggering and slipping a bit, but he stayed upright. Laine returned the Pokemon to its Ball. 

"There," she said. "Now you're rescued. Go away." 

"Laine, that's not nice!" said Aurora. 

"So what?" Laine snapped. "_He's_ not nice, either, is he? If he was, he wouldn't be so determined to get back in the Rockets' good graces, would he? He wouldn't want to be one of them. Those Rockets _kill_ people, an' he says he wants to be one of 'em!" 

Ember looked at Aurora in confusion. "What's the matter with her?" 

"I'm sorry. I think it's my doing," she answered. "I found out that her father was killed by Rockets. He'd found information leading to a rare Pokemon, and they were trying to take it from him." 

"And they killed him?" repeated Ember, frowning. "That's not right." 

"Ain't you clever?" said Laine acidly. 

"That's not how I meant it," Ember retorted. "Rockets don't go around randomly killing people." 

"Whaddaya do, then, plan it out ahead of time?" 

"You listen to me when I'm talking," he snapped. The ice on the walls was nothing compared to the tone of his voice. "If Team Rocket killed everyone who got in their way, we wouldn't be allowed to survive. Even we have laws. One of them is that we do not take human lives unless that is the only way to save our own. Anyone caught breaking this law... if the police don't get them, Giovanni does. Whoever hurt your father, they're probably long gone by now." 

Laine gave him a startled look. "They're dead?" 

"Most likely. If the story is public enough that you two can know it, my uncle certainly knows about it. I pity whoever did it... Giovanni's punishments are worse than anything they would have gotten at the hands of the law. He never would have sanctioned the killing of a well- known scientist; it would be too publicly known. Above all, we preserve our privacy." 

"So why did they have to do it?" Laine snapped. "If they knew they were going to be punished like that, why did they do it?" 

Ember shrugged. "They probably didn't mean to. It's easy to have an accident in here." 

"I think he's right," said Aurora quietly. "The scientist said something like that. He said they were trying to take your father's papers when he fell, and that's why they never stole them." 

"Right," said Ember. He grimaced. "They wouldn't have pushed him on purpose if they hadn't got their loot first." 

"Great, that makes me feel _so_ much better," said Laine sarcastically. 

"Look, I don't want to hear that from you," said Ember. "I _am_ sorry your father died. I have parents of my own; I know how much it would hurt me if something happened to them. I'm sorry Team Rocket ever crossed paths with your father, but there's nothing I can do about it. There is nothing I _could_ do about it. When all that happened, I was still just a kid back in Viridian City. I didn't even know I was related to Giovanni until about a year ago." 

"That doesn't matter," said Laine. "You're still one of them." 

"Not at the moment," he said. "Look, you _know_ me. You know I don't agree with how my uncle runs things. If I don't stay with the Rockets, someone else will have to take over - anyone else, probably someone who jumps at every word my uncle says and will continue to obey his wishes even after Giovanni steps down. Probably someone who won't know or care a thing about leadership. What happens then, when Giovanni dies? Think about what will happen then - everything will go out of control. I'm the only one who has a chance at keeping things _under_ control. That's why I have to go back to them." 

Laine was quiet for a moment, considering. Then she sighed. "You might be right." 

"What might I be right about?" he asked quietly. 

"That you might be the only one who can help," Laine replied. "And... that it wasn't your fault.... But you had better promise me, promise me that when you're in charge of the Rockets, you won't let it happen again!" 

"I'll do my best. You have my word." 

"You had better," she said, "or I'll personally hunt you down and - and - and feed you to Roadblock!" 

"Well, we can't have that," said Ember. "I'd probably give even _him_ indigestion." 

"If we are quite done?" asked Pryce. 

"I think we've got it straightened out," said Aurora. "Have we?" 

"I think so," said Laine. 

"We do," said Ember. 

"Good," said Pryce, "because we need to get going. We can't spend all day down here. Here, let's see if we can find a way out of this place." 

He went through his pack and pulled out a collection of ropes and ice picks. With the aid of these, he was able to scramble partway up the ice slide, stake a pick into the ground, and wrap part of the rope around it. Then he clambered a bit further, drove in another stake, and wrapped the rope again. After repeating this process several times over, he finally reached the top, and left a convenient climbing aid to those who came behind him. One by one, humans and Pokemon scrambled to the top of the slide, with Ember bringing up the rear and collecting the picks and rope. Nobody had asked him to; he simply seemed to take it as given that it was what he should do. 

"You aren't mad at Laine, are you?" asked Aurora, who was climbing just ahead of him. 

"Not really," said Ember. "I can't blame her for being angry. I'd be ready to hurt someone if that had happened to my father." 

"Just making sure," said Aurora. "You really didn't know anything about it, did you?" 

"Never heard a thing," he replied. "I doubt my uncle would let word get around any more than he could help." 

"That's good," said Aurora. 

"Why? Did you really think I would agree with something like that?" 

"No," she replied. "It's just not a very good secret to have among friends, if you had known and never told us. I would have been annoyed if you'd left me to tell her for you." 

"Who says we're friends?" 

Aurora shrugged as best she could while climbing up a rope. "I thought it was obvious, by now." 

They reached the top, eliminating the opportunity for further conversation. As Ember finished gathering up the ropes and handing them to Pryce, the Gym Leader gave him a considering stare. 

"You might as well hang on to those," he said. "We might want them later, and you'll have to carry your own weight if you come with us." 

"Who said I was coming with you?" asked Ember, surprised. "I'm going back to Mahogany Town, and I'm only staying _there_ long enough to win the Glacier Badge, so if you'll just give me a point in the right direction..." 

"I am the Leader of the Mahogany Town Gym, and I am not giving you a Badge until I get home," Pryce replied. "As for you, I'm not going to waste any more time showing you how to get back on the path after you were stupid enough to get yourself lost. You're coming with us." 

Ember looked annoyed, but something in the Gym Leader's eyes told him he was not getting away with anything today. He sighed. 

"All right," he said with bad grace, "but be quick about it." 

"As if I planned to dawdle down here," Pryce muttered. "Come on. The door we're looking for should be this way." 

A few minutes of tricky hiking led them to a large, blank stone wall. There was a large pile of stones resting against it, looking less like a rockfall and more like a purposely constructed wall. Pryce walked all around it, studying it seriously. 

"This is going to take some time to move," he said. "Even with help, we're going to be busy." 

"I don't think so," said Laine lightly. "I've got it all taken care of. My Nova is good at dealin' with rocks." 

Pryce looked skeptical. "And dare I ask what a 'Nova' might be?" 

"This," Laine replied. 

She snapped open a PokeBall and released her Machop, who looked around eagerly until he sighted Laine. 

"Chop! Chop, chop!" he shouted, as he ran to hug her. 

"Oh, come off it," she muttered. "It hasn' been all _that_ long since you've seen me. C'mon, leggo already." 

Nova obediently let go and stood a few feet away, gazing at her worshipfully. 

"That's better," she said. "Listen up - I got some rocks I need you to get rid of. Can you do that for me?" 

Nova could; he chattered happily and strutted over to the rocks. Giving them a moment of serious consideration, he backed up a few yards, made a running start, and delivered a sharp kick to the rocks at the base of the construction. The wall wobbled a bit. He backed up and kicked them again, and this time a few of the stones at the top fell down. 

"Better back up," Laine advised, scooting off to the edge of the cavern. The others did likewise. 

Nova scowled at the pile of rocks and backed up once more. With a loud shout, he rushed at them again and kicked as hard as he could. The rocks at the base shattered to dust, and the entire pile collapsed into a heap of rubble. Nova congratulated himself as he shoved the stones aside, revealing a wide, dark entrance. Moondancer trotted up and peered inside curiously. She barked at Aurora. 

"Something is down there," Aurora said. "Something alive, I think." 

"Well, of course there's something down there," Pryce replied. "If there wasn't, we'd be wasting our time. Come on." 

They went. Beyond the door was another heap of stones, broad flat ones that had been piled up to make stairs. Surprisingly, no ice had formed on them. They were all perfectly dry, and all broad and level, making for an easy climb. Ember surveyed them with a look of suppressed interest. 

"Do you think someone is expecting us?" he asked lightly. 

"I hate stairs," Laine complained. 

"Humph," said Pryce. "Move along, move along." 

They went up. Though there was a marked decrease in the amount of ice they could see - nothing more than a faint white frost coating the walls - the air was not getting any warmer. As a matter of fact, Aurora thought she could feel the faintest traces of a breeze, something that had been absent throughout their journey through the caves. There was no sign that there had ever been a light here, and without the ice crystals to provide reflections, Moondancer's faint glow did very little to illuminate their surroundings. All Aurora could tell was that they were going up, and up, and up... 

Pryce stopped so suddenly in front of her that she almost tripped over him. Drawing herself up short, Aurora took her eyes off the steps and turned to look ahead, where Moondancer was scampering and barking. There was a light ahead, and snow was blowing through it. 

"I think we're here," said Pryce. 

"Well, don't just _stand_ there," Ember complained. "I want to get this wrapped up so I can get out of this place." Under his breath, he muttered, "I _hate_ snow." 

"No point in rushing," said Pryce. "We don't really know what's out there... Harvester never made it this far." 

"Even so..." Ember began. 

Aurora suddenly _felt_ something, a force that ran through her and made her feel as if she'd been sideswiped by an avalanche. There was no choice but for her to move, and she did, running despite her weariness in the direction the force told her to go. She dimly heard the others shouting after her, but it was drowned out by the rush of wind and snow. After a while, they stopped shouting, but simply followed her, moving as fast as they could up a snow covered trail with its end blocked off by falling snow. 

"This - shouldn't - be - happening," Pryce panted as he hurried to keep up with Aurora. "The weather was clear today. It _can't_ be snowing now." 

"Tell that to the weather," Laine snapped. 

They rounded a bend and stopped. Aurora was standing stock-still at the head of what appeared to be a path, a road cobbled with chips of ice, lined with icicle spires. At the far end of the path was a snowy pedestal, and resting on the pedestal was a nest made out of icicles and snow. In the middle of the nest was a white egg that sparkled like new-fallen snow. 

"The snow egg!" Laine whispered. "That's it! It looks just like my dream..." 

Wordlessly, Aurora stepped forward. She rested her hand on the egg, and felt something stir under her fingers. As the group watched, the egg suddenly split, and there was a burst of blue light. Out of the egg came a beak, a head, a graceful neck, two spreading wings that flashed and sparkled in their own light... 

"Articuno," said Aurora, her head bowing slightly in greeting. "Welcome back." 

The bird looked at her for a moment, and she looked back, finding her gaze locked by its glittering eyes. Then it gave a trill that echoed like wailing wind, making the mountains ring and the listeners try to cover their ears. Aurora winced. 

"Ow!" she yelped. "That hurt!" 

"Are you all right? What did it do?" asked Ember urgently. 

"Nothing," said Aurora, shaking herself a bit. "It's just - he's so strong. His voice hurts my ears." 

The bird trilled again, and Aurora shut her eyes against its intensity. Steeling herself, she tried to get the overwhelming impressions it was giving her to sort themselves into words. 

-_What are you doing here, human?_- it demanded. 

"We came to see you," said Aurora. "That's all. They only wanted to look at you, to see if you were really real." 

-_I am._- The force of the statement was as deep as a mountain gorge; Aurora got a spinning, dizzy impression of eons upon eons of existence, stretching across time. More than that, it existed in so many places, in mountains and glaciers everywhere in the world, a hundred points of consciousness ready to wink in and out if need be. Her head ached with the enormity of it, and her nose began to bleed. 

"We're sorry," she said. "We didn't mean to wake you up before your time." 

-_I am one of the Old Powers. I am the living embodiment of Ice. I existed before humans came into being, and I will be here after you are gone, for as long as the mountains stand and snow falls from the sky. I am not to be woken lightly._- 

"We know that now," said Aurora. "We'll go away. We won't bother you again." 

-_You are too late with your apologies. No one who sees the Articuno without its permission may be permitted to live._- 

"Oh, no," said Aurora. "You can't do that! We didn't know we were going to upset you!" 

-_You came here and disturbed my rest. You hatched me before my time._- The bird's voice had all the pity of a snowstorm. -_Since I am alive before my time, you will die before yours._- 

"Oh, no," said Aurora. "Oh, no, please..." 

"What is it saying?" asked Laine. "What's going on?" 

"It's going to kill us," said Aurora. "It's angry at us for waking it before its time, so now it's going to kill us." 

"You can't!" Ember said. "I didn't even come here on purpose! How were we supposed to know you weren't ready to be awakened?" 

-_Do not argue with me, mortal. Pity is not a part of my nature._- 

"Oh, boy, we've really done it now," Aurora muttered. "After dodging Rockets and Clair and everything, I'm going to be killed by a snowbird..." 

Suddenly, there was a roar overhead, and something large and shining dropped out of the sky to swoop past all of them. The suddenness of the attack nearly knocked Articuno out of its nest. As the thing turned again, Aurora could see that it was a Dragonite, liberally coated with snow and ice but still wide-awake and furious. It bellowed and swooped at them again. 

"Cut it out!" Ember shouted. "Stupid thing, leave us alone!" 

The Dragonite roared its defiance and dove at them again, breathing fire. Laine dove for the ground, but Ember continued to stand and glare at it. In his anger, his blue eyes looked just like the Articuno's. 

"Just what we didn't need," he muttered. "That thing's out of its mind with the cold and pain - the ice is going to kill it if it doesn't leave, and it's determined to roast us instead." 

"Leave it to me," said Pryce. 

He grabbed at a Pokeball and flipped it open. From its depths burst a flash of light, and then there was a Piloswine sitting on the ledge with them. It was an impressive specimen, taller than Pryce himself at its highest point, covered in shaggy brown fur. It turned a piggy face at the attacking dragon and roared. A whirlwind of powder snow sprang up, wrapping around the dragon and making it bellow in pain and rage. The Piloswine continued to attack, resisting all the Dragonite's efforts to roast it. Finally, the Dragonite realized that it was not going to get anywhere with this trainer, and was likely to be turned into a popsicle if it tried. With the last of its strength, it turned and flapped away. Everyone stood and stared at the sky, even the Articuno. 

-_What,_- it asked, in considerable surprise, -_was that?_- 

"A Dragonite," said Aurora. "Probably one of Clair's." 

-_A Dragonite would not come here. It is forbidden,_- said Articuno. -_No dragon would enter the heart of the ice where I dwell of its own accord, and no wise trainer would send one here. They would know it would be fatal. Who is this Clair?_- 

"She's the leader of the Blackthorn City Gym," Aurora explained. "She's the most powerful trainer in the country, but she's still not happy. She's banded with Team Rocket, the Pokemon poachers, to try to make sure no one can ever compete with her. She'll do anything, even kill other trainers, like me. She's after me, because she thinks I'm a threat." 

-_Is this true?_- asked the bird of ice. -_She abuses the ancient trust between humans and Pokemon in this way? She sends her Pokemon to kill the innocent, simply out of her own fear? This is a travesty, a perversion. It must not be allowed._- The bird drew itself up to its full height and spread its wings wide. -_I will not permit this! This will be stopped!_- 

"Ow!" exclaimed Aurora again; the bird's anger hurt. As if sensing her pain, Articuno quieted again. 

-_You will help me,_- he told her sternly. -_By the ancient laws, I must not attack a trainer who has directly harmed me unless I do it under the orders of a trainer myself. That is the law. You, who speak my language, will give that order. Will you not?_- 

"You mean... you want me to train you?" asked Aurora, dazed. 

-_For a time,_- the bird agreed. -_Only for as long as it takes to see this Clair overthrown. Then you must release me to my ancient sleep. Will you swear to this?_- 

"I will," she said. 

-_Good,_- said Articuno. He sounded pleased. -_I will need a PokeBall - a good one. I find it is too easy to break ordinary ones._- 

Aurora turned to Laine. "Laine, do you think you might let me borrow one of your PokeBalls - a strong one? Articuno says he wants one. 

Laine looked surprised, but obediently went through her things and brought out a glossy black ball. 

"Will this do?" she said. "It's meant to hold really big, strong things. It'll probably hold an Articuno." 

-_That is good,_- said Articuno. He looked at Laine thoughtfully. -_You are familiar to me. I saw your face in the mind of a dying man as his life faded in these mountains, and I put him to sleep under a blanket of ice and eased him into his death._- 

"Oh," said Aurora, taking the Ball. The bird's voice disoriented her, making her feel distracted and vague. "Did you hear, that, Laine? Articuno knew your dad." 

She opened the ball, and the icy bird inclined its head graciously. 

-_Forget not your promise!_- it said, and then it vanished. The ball shut with a click, and Aurora promptly fainted. 

She came around a few moments later to find that Ember had her half-propped in his lap and was pouring a bottle of something that tasted horrible down her throat. She sat up, choking and coughing. 

"What are you trying to do?" she demanded. She tried to wipe her mouth and came up with red fingers; she had forgotten the nosebleed. 

"Trying to wake you up," said Ember, sounding annoyed. "Or would you prefer we left you there to sleep in the snow?" 

"I'm okay, really," she said, trying to sit up. "Articuno was just a little overwhelming, that's all. It's like having someone with a megaphone shouting in your ear... What was that stuff, anyway? It tastes _awful_." 

"Revive," said Ember, showing her the empty bottle. "I figured if it worked on fainted Pokemon, it would work on you, too." Quietly, he addded, "For a minute, there, I thought he had decided to kill you, after all." 

"Well, I'm not killed," she said. "I'm ready." 

"Ready?" he repeated. "Ready for what?" 

Aurora stood up and found that she could, though her knees felt weak and wobbly. "To face Clair. Articuno told me I have to go, and I'm going." 

"How do you plan to face her?" Ember demanded. "She's still the most dangerous trainer alive. Forget battling; she'll kill you as soon as look at you! She'll have an army of Rockets swarming around the place - you'll never even get to her." 

"I have to try," she replied. "Articuno is right - what Clair's been doing can't go on. Someone has to stop it... and it looks like that someone is going to be me." 

"Not _just_ you," Laine chimed in. "Did you think I'd let you walk into a fight like that alone? If you're gonna go pick a fight with that lady, you can at least let me come, too." 

"I still say you're both crazy," said Ember, "but... I dreamed of an empty Gym with a broken dragon inside. Perhaps fate is on your side, and my fate is bound to yours. Besides, I owe that woman a thing or two for the way she's played with my gang." 

"And you don' wanna see your girlfriend get hurt," Laine said, grinning. 

Ember blushed. "I'm on your side, Aurora, in this at least. I'll say that much." 

"Thanks," said Aurora. "I mean it. If this is what I have to do, I couldn't ask for better help than you two." 

Her eyes turned away from them, through the peaks of the mountains and off to the east. There lay Blackthorn City, the place where this odyssey had begun. Now the circle was winding back to its beginning, drawing her irreversibly back there, to her fate, to the Blackthorn City Gym... and to the Dragon Master. 


	11. Stage Eleven - Toppling Idols

**

Stage Eleven - Toppling Idols

**

**

By: SilvorMoon

**

Aurora slept late that morning, and was grateful for the rest. Between what had happened the day before and what she expected to happen today, she was amazed that she was not plagued by nightmares, but if she had any they were forgotten as soon as they passed. When she awoke, it was to the sight of sunlight spilling through her window, the sound of Pidgeys and Spearows chattering outside her window, and the scent of something cooking. She dressed and washed quickly, and hurried downstairs to see what breakfast was like at the Mahogany City Gym. 

She entered the kitchen to find that the rest of the group was already up and sitting around a massive wooden table, devouring stacks of flapjacks and sausages. It was interesting to see Ember seated across from any Gym Leader, especially one as stern and tough as Pryce, but they didn't seem to find anything odd about the situation. They chatted with each other about the best tactics for dealing with Ground-type Pokemon while Ember politely passed the butter dish to Yukiko and Miyuki. Laine was sitting across from the twins, shoveling down pancakes with one hand while the other scratched busily in her notebook as she quizzed them on Ice-type Pokemon. Auora found a free seat and squeezed into place. 

"There you are," Laine said. "We thought maybe you were gonna sleep all mornin'." 

"I'd like to see you deal with an angry Articuno and still feel like anything the next day," Aurora retorted. "My head still aches from talking to him." 

"You had better hope you get over it before we get to Blackthorn," Ember commented. "You're going to need to be sharp if you're planning on messing with Clair." 

"Well, aren't you encouraging?" said Aurora. 

"Don't listen to him," said Laine. "Have a pancake; they're even better than the ones Dad used to make." 

"When you've been making them as long as I have, they'd better be good," said Pryce. 

Aurora nearly dropped the pancake she'd been reaching for. "You cooked these?" 

He raised one of his bushy eyebrows. "Who did you think cooked them? The Swinub?" He pointed to a small, furry thing sitting on a chair, which Aurora had first taken to be a throw pillow. It whuffled at her, and Laine fed it a bite of pancake. Aurora started to say something, changed her mind, and turned her attention to eating breakfast. The company might have been a bit odd, but Laine was right - the food _was_ good. 

After the humans had eaten all they wanted, and the Pokemon had pecked and gobbled the last of the crumbs, Miyuki and Yukiko gathered up the breakfast things and swept off to wash the dishes. Laine followed after Pryce, the two of them discussing various aspects of her father's research. Aurora found herself with nothing to do, and some of the nervousness she'd been fighting to prevent started to rise up. 

"Are you all right?" 

Aurora jumped. She'd seen Ember leave the table, but she hadn't heard him come up behind her. 

"Don't sneak up on me like that," she scolded. 

He gave her a half-smile. "My apologies. The habit of moving quietly, once instilled, is very hard to break." 

"Oh," she said. "I guess it's okay... Did you want something?" 

"Not really. I just thought you might be feeling a bit nervous this morning," he said. "I thought I might break a personal rule and be sociable a while. Would you like to walk around outside a bit?" 

"Um," she said, surprised. "I... guess that would be okay." 

They went out into the cool morning, with Scar hopping a few paces behind as a determined chaperone. Aurora thought privately that any good this idea was doing was negotiable; some activity might help her get her mind off the coming battle, but walking through an empty pine forest with Ember brought its own form of nervousness. She liked Ember well enough, but she was not always sure where she stood with him or what he was going to do next. She remained silent as they strolled idly around the perimeters of the Gym. 

"I am not very talented at conversation," he said, "but if there's something on your mind, I can listen." 

"I don't really know how to say it," she replied. 

"Are you afraid?" 

"Not exactly," she said. "I mean... I know this is what I have to do, so I know there's just no getting out of it. Even if it's dangerous, I can't turn around and go home now. I even think I can win." She ran her fingers over the black PokeBall, the one that held the Articuno. "It's just... there's a part of me... that doesn't want to." 

Ember gave her a quizzical look. "You can't tell me you actually want to lose a battle." 

She shook her head. "I just don't want this to be happening. Win or lose, nothing is going to be the way I thought it would..." 

"You're disappointed in Clair." 

"Yes," she said. "I thought she was everything... Why did she have to turn out like this? Why did she have to - to lie to me, to pretend to be so great when she knew she wasn't?" 

"She might not have known," said Ember with a shrug. "Some people don't. Someone tells them one too many times that they're perfect, and they start to believe it." 

Aurora made a face. "It's not right." 

"You'll get over it," said Ember with a shrug. "It's called 'disillusionment.' It's what happens when you wake up and find out that things aren't what you thought they were. That's a good thing - you can't fight what you don't believe in." 

"You talk like you have some experience." 

"Do you think I was always at odds with my uncle? When he first brought me into the fold, I thought he was the greatest leader ever born." Ember grimaced. "He told me so himself." 

"Well, you're different," she said. 

"Different from what?" 

"From - from me. Your situation is different. You'll be a _good_ leader someday. But me..." 

"What's wrong with you? I should think you'd be a paragon of respectability next to me." 

"But I'm not a leader," she said. "And people seem to think I am, or will be - Falkner and Morty, and... I don't know. They say they're teaching me, sizing me up to see what kind of Gym Leader I'm going to make someday. It's like they think once they get Clair out of the way, they want me to take her place, and I just can't. I'm too new. I have too much to learn. I've seen the Gym Leaders, and they're all strong or smart or talented... I'm not good enough to be one of them." 

Ember was quiet a moment, considering. 

"You're not, hm?" he said casually. He was quiet for a while, and she waited, sensing he was building up to something. He bided his time, watching the clouds drift lazily across the sky. Finally, he turned to her and said, "Where do you get Gym Badges? Generally speaking." 

"You get them by beating Gym Leaders," answered Aurora. 

"And you've got seven of them. That means you've proven your worth to seven Gym Leaders. You must be very weak indeed, don't you think?" 

Aurora scowled. "I didn't win them all properly. Half of them were just given to me..." 

"Were they? Let me see." 

She stepped forward, and he gravely inspected the Badges that glittered at the hem of your shirt. 

"Seven Badges," he murmured. "One for beating a full-fledged Gym Leader on your first full day of training - your first ever battle. One for stopping a raging forest fire. One earned while trying to protect a friendship. One for honor and fair play. One for valuing other people's happiness above your own. One for upholding justice. One for taming a legend." He looked up at her again. "And all this you've accomplished in a matter of days. Are you sure you don't deserve these?" 

"Well, maybe... But nobody just _gave_ things to Clair. She won them by fighting." 

"Yes, she did." 

There was silence again. Aurora felt uncomfortable. She had the sense that Ember was trying to communicate something to her, but she couldn't quite grasp what it was. Scar seemed annoyed at her; he squawked impatiently. She frowned, trying to think. 

"I think I have it," she said slowly. "You're saying that Clair just got her Badges by fighting, not by doing anything really good..." 

"Just like she always does," said Ember. "Walking all over people and Pokemon like they're only there to be her stepping stones." 

"Right. She destroys people," Aurora agreed. "And... you think I'd do better?" 

"You've proven you have. You never once took advantage of power or advantages that were offered to you. You could have accepted Morty's offer; you could have taken Jasmine's Badge without fighting... you could have joined the Rockets," he added with a half-smile. "You also know how to lose gracefully, and when it is better to step down from a fight. That's something Clair never learned, or she wouldn't be where she is now. Oh, and one other thing..." 

"Yes?" 

"Talk to your Pokemon. Ask them how they feel about fighting Clair. Then think about it. I'm going back inside." 

He turned to walk away. Impulsively, Aurora hugged him. 

"You try to be evil, but you're not," she told him. 

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm a Rocket," he said, flushing almost as red as his hair. "I just have a stake in this thing. It's a disgrace, letting any Gym Leader make deals with Rockets. I want to see Clair put in her place, and it'll do me good to see her stomped out by a little girl. Now, let me go." 

He stalked off, and Aurora let him. She'd probably embarrassed him enough for one day, she thought... but his advice was worth thinking about. It wouldn't hurt to let her Pokemon out for a romp, either, or to ask their opinions on matters. She certainly wasn't going to send them against the most powerful Trainer on the continent if they didn't feel ready. One by one, she released her companions into the sunlight. 

"Better loosen up," she told them. "We have a big fight today... that is, if you want to have one." 

Moondancer leaned against Aurora's leg like a cat, twining her fluffy tail between her ankles. She wanted to know why Aurora thought she wouldn't like to fight. She always liked to fight. It was fun! She wanted a new challenge, the sooner the better. Aurora smiled and reached down to rub her ears. 

"What about the rest of you?" she asked. "It's going to be tough, tougher than anything else we've done together. There's a chance you'll get hurt. I won't make you fight if you don't want to." 

_We've been hurt before,_ Rusty said. _I joined you of my own free will, because you helped me. When I made that agreement, I knew I would be fighting battles for you. I am ready._

Frightful the Crobat perched upside down on her arm, chattering reassuringly. He would have died if Aurora hadn't been brave enough to save him. She'd been willing to be hurt by Rockets for his sake; he was ready to fight for her now. 

Blabberbeak fluttered in the shadows of the trees, chattering his beak. Wherever Murkrows went, they were hated and feared, yet she'd taken him in. He was more than ready to give back some of the punishment he'd taken from the Rockets! 

Scar gave a loud squawk and flared his wings. Scarred for life through the cruelty of his first trainer, he had come into her hands believing all humans to be selfish. Now he knew differently. Thanks to Aurora, he was proud and strong again, and he wasn't about to forget it. He knew Aurora would do anything for him - even give him his freedom. That was why he stayed by her. 

_Do you see?_ Rusty inquired. _Perhaps some trainers hold their Pokemon captive with PokeBalls. You hold us with something stronger._

"Thank you," she said. "I know you won't lose for me." 

"Get lost!" Blabberbeak said. 

She laughed and ruffled his crest feathers. "You crazy thing." 

As she reached for her PokeBalls so she could put her friends back in their places, she noticed her PokeGear still strapped to her wrist. She didn't think she had anything special stored in it, but it couldn't hurt to look - perhaps she'd find something useful. Not hoping very much, she skimmed through its contents, and her eye was caught by the Sharp Beak amulet. Falkner had given it to her some time ago, and she had gotten so distracted by subsequent meetings with Blabberbeak, Team Rocket, and Morty that its presence had been forgotten entirely. Now she wondered whether or not she should give it to someone. It might give her some kind of advantage in the coming fight, and she was willing to grasp at any one of those that she could. 

All right, then, who would be the lucky one to receive it? She looked over the assembled company and considered. Her first thought was to give it to Articuno - after all, he was supposed to be carrying a large part of this battle. Ice was one of the few weaknesses Dragons had, after all; she needed him to be at his best if she wanted to win. Then again, Articuno seemed to be powerful enough as it was, and his power rested primarily with ice. Sharp Beak only enhanced the powers of Flying types. Besides, a part of her balked at giving gifts like that to such a lofty stranger. She wanted Falkner's gift to go to someone she cared about, someone who would still be with her when Articuno had gone back to his ageless sleep. She looked at Scar again. Lowly, unlovely, unevolved Scar had been with her from the first, and unlike the others, he had no other special abilities besides Flying. He could use the boost. 

"Here you go," she told him, slipping the golden chain over his head. "This will help." 

Scar hopped sideways a few paces and tilted his head in amazement. No one had ever given him a present before. 

"Don't act so surprised," she told him. "You're my best friend, aren't you? You deserve it." 

Scar preened her hair and fluttered off, strutting and prancing to see the amulet twinkle in the sunlight. 

A few minutes later, Laine arrived, looking annoyed. 

"What're you doin', lurkin' out here like this?" she demanded. "You tryin' to get eaten by an Ursaring or somethin'? Because if you are, this is a good place to do it." 

"Sorry," said Aurora. "I was just getting ready for the fight." 

"Oh," Laine said. "Anyway, the rest of us were wonderin' where you'd got to, and Ember said you'd gone for a walk, and we didn' know whether to believe him or not. I'll hafta go home and tell the Bobsey Twins not to dredge the lake for ya." 

"They wouldn't really, would they?" asked Aurora, collecting her Pokemon. 

"I dunno," said Laine. "They're funny kids. They say all kinds of stuff with the same smile on their faces, and I can't tell if they're serious or joking." 

"They seem nice enough," Aurora commented, falling into step with Laine. "A bit formal, but nice." 

"Yeah. I dunno why Pryce rags on 'em the way he does. Whaddaya think of Pryce? Is he a character or what?" 

"I like him," said Aurora. "He reminds me of Scar." 

They regrouped in front of the Mahogany Town Gym, where Pryce was waiting and ranting to anyone who would listen about irresponsible kids who went places without saying where they were going. After he had delivered this speech to Aurora and had heard a sufficient number of apologies in reply, the group held a consultation about how they would make their journey to Blackthorn. 

"The long way," said Yukiko, "would be to take the tunnels through the mountain. That would be most impractical if you are in a hurry." 

"It would be shorter if one had a Pokemon who could Surf," Miyuki said. "There are a few short ponds one must navigate, but-" 

"How did I ever wind up with such a couple of nitwits for apprentices?" Pryce snapped. "The lady you're talking to is a birdkeeper! The quickest way is to fly!" 

Yukiko gave him a serene smile. "We were merely suggesting possibilities." 

Laine snickered. Pryce glared at her, and she assumed an expression of angelic innocence. Aurora fought the urge to laugh. 

"Will the other young lady and gentleman be flying as well?" asked Miyuki. "I was not aware that _they_ trained birds." 

"I travel with Rora," said Laine. "One of her birds will give me a lift." 

"I have my own ways of flying," Ember said. He flourished a PokeBall, and his Charizard burst out. It flourished its tail, making the twins jump backwards. 

"Back off," Pryce scolded. "You may have the type advantage, but I'll still find a way to cool your jets if you get nasty. A lot of Ice-types are Water-types too, you know." 

Charizard huffed smoke at him. Pryce didn't look impressed. 

"All right, you three," he said. "I won't say what you've got in mind is smart, but I wish you good luck. Here." He reached into a pocket and took out three sparkling Badges. "A promise is a promise. Here are your Glacier Badges. Now, go put that Clair on ice! I never liked her - uppity woman. You show her who's boss." 

"We will," said Aurora. "So long, Pryce! Thanks for everything!" 

She opened a Pokeball and released Rusty, and within moments, she and her friends were nothing more than specks floating on the breeze. Pryce stood and watched them until they vanished into the sky. 

"Brave girl," he commented. "Got more guts than your usual birdkeeper. Who knows but she may actually have a chance." 

~*~

Aurora had thought that her first impression of Blackthorn had only been so dim because she had arrived near dusk, and because of her nervousness. Her hope was that the city would seem less forbidding in full daylight. She was wrong. The town she and her friends glimpsed from the air was the same one Aurora had entered on foot that first time. From above, all she could see was a spatter of black roofs against the dark stone of the mountains and the green-black of the pine trees. It was a quiet and somber place, emanating a feel of oldness and power that touched her even in the bright sky. 

"Take us down easy," she told Scar. "The last thing we need is to draw attention." 

Scar gave a soft croak of agreement and banked slightly, beginning a gentle spiral towards the earth, and Rusty followed his lead. Ember, flying a short distance behind the girls, decided to be more direct and simply had his Charizard make a straight dive downward. He seemed to be ashamed that he was bending Rocket protocol enough to actually travel with a pair of honest trainers, and was compensating by being as unsociable as possible. After the girls had landed amid a thick stand of trees, they stood and waited for him to come and catch up. 

"Going in on foot?" he commented. "I'd have thought you'd go for a dramatic entrance." 

"I'd rather avoid attention as long as I can," Aurora replied. "I don't need to give her a chance to jump out and surprise me." 

Ember gave a brittle laugh. "You think you can avoid detection? You forget - Team Rocket is watching you. If her spies are still doing their job, she knew about you an hour ago, and she's sitting in her lair sharpening her claws for you right now." 

Aurora gave a deep sigh. "This is going to be harder than I thought." 

"Don' worry," said Laine. "You brought backup, remember? Wonder Boy and I can handle them Rockets so you can go after the big fish." 

"Are you referring to me?" asked Ember with a raised eyebrow. "Coming from you, I am not entirely sure that is complimentary. But you are right. I should think between the two of us, we can keep my uncle's watchdogs off of you for however long it takes to finish your battle." 

"You'd better hope you're right," said Laine. 

They went in, quietly, with Ember leading the way. He did not take them directly into the city, but slipped through the shadows of the forests and down the side streets. He himself moved with all the silence of a cat, a grace that the girls couldn't hope to emulate. Still, they were quiet enough that no one who wasn't actively listening for people walking around could hear them. 

Someone was. Someone did. A man in black espied them from his perch in a tall tree, and he scurried into town to give warning. 

Unknowing, Ember continued guiding his followers around the outskirts of the town. Their pace had slowed, now - they had reached the edge of the forest and were coming into a rocky area that pressed closely against the buildings. Further up the mountains, it was steep and impossible to climb, forcing them to move nearer the city than they would have liked. They picked their cover with care, moving through the shadows of large boulders and doing what they could not to dislodge any stones. Scar seemed to understand the need for secrecy; he hopped along behind them instead of flying. 

"What I intend to do," said Ember to Aurora as they huddled behind a stone, "is to sneak around to the Dragon Temple and come up through the back of the town. Since the Gym is directly in front of the Temple, anyway, we won't have to pass through areas where people are likely to be, so we'll be less likely to be noticed." 

"Are you sure?" asked Aurora nervously. 

Ember glared at her. "I'm good, Winter-hair, but I can't make you invisible. There will be guards in front of the Dragon Temple, but they're not supposed to move unless someone tries to force entrance. Other than that, there usually aren't too many people around. It's the best I can do." 

They moved on. Now Aurora could actually see the Gym, and the Temple, barricaded by a small pool of water, it's dark entrance flanked by a pair of guards in solemn black uniforms. They seemed to notice the movement in the hills; Aurora could almost feel their gazes resting on her. 

"Be casual," Ember whispered. "Try to look like you belong here." 

The girls nodded and followed as he strolled across the grass, trying to copy his attitude. He ambled along as if he was in no particular hurry, glancing around as if mildly interested in the scenery. Aurora wasn't sure she could manage to look so calm, but she did what she could. Laine managed nicely; she had always been good at acting like nothing bothered her. As they drew nearer the Gym, Aurora dared to think they might just make it without any incidents. 

"Well," said a voice, "why does this not surprise me?" 

Aurora jumped. Laine glared at her. Ember kept his eyes fixed in the direction of the speaker. A man was standing in the shadows of the Gym, nearly invisible against the darkness. 

"You should know me well enough by now, I would think," Ember answered calmly. "Though I admit to thinking you had better sense to be here in broad daylight, Uncle." 

"Half credit, Ember," he said. "I had been intending to leave, but I heard you were coming this way, so I thought I'd intercept you." 

"Why? I thought I'd been disinherited." 

"You have," answered Giovanni. "That has no bearing on whether or not I'll allow you to interfere in my business. You have been causing an inordinate amount of trouble since you left the fold. I am beginning to think it is time to bring you home, whether you like it or not. I'm going back to Viridian City, and you are coming with me." 

"What, giving up on your dear Dragon Master?" Ember taunted. 

Giovanni's visage clouded a bit. "I confess to being disappointed in her. She has proven fatally flawed. I know when to cut my losses, even if she doesn't." 

"So you're going to leave her to take the blame while you leave town, hm?" said Ember. "Typical, letting someone else take the brunt of your own punishment." 

"That's enough of that. I am not going to take that rebellious attitude any longer," said Givanni. "It's about time I taught you a lesson." 

"No," said Ember. "It's about time you learned something from me." 

Giovanni gave him a tolerant smile. "What could you possibly know that I don't?" 

"That your days as Team Rocket's leader are over," answered Ember quietly. "I'm claiming my birthright. You are not going to run away today - you are going to stay here and harvest what you've sown, and I am going to assume what's rightfully mine. By all the laws that even you uphold, I challenge you to a Pokemon battle, for the leadership of Team Rocket." 

"You think you can defeat me?" asked Giovanni, laughing mirthlessly. "Very well. I accept your challenge. And just to make things interesting..." 

He snapped his fingers. From hidden shadows and crevices, his followers came to circle the group of children. Ember's eyes widened in outrage. 

"That's _cheating_!" he blurted. 

Giovanni laughed. "You expected less from me?" 

"Don' worry," said Laine to Ember. "I'll deal with the goons - you deal with your uncle." 

"Fine," he replied. More loudly, he said, "All right, then - begin!" 

There was instant chaos as the Rockets released their Pokemon in an immense burst of eye-searing light. Laine sent out her own small army, ringing Ember with his own line of defense. Ember shot a look at Aurora. 

"Don't just stand there!" he ordered. "Go find Clair!" 

Aurora nodded and ran. A nearby Rocket tried to grab her, but she ducked out of his way, and nearly ran into another. This one was quicker; he grabbed her wrist, but she kicked him in the shins and twisted away. A woman Rocket grabbed one of her long ponytails, only to have Scar throw himself at the woman's face, raking at her with his sharp claws. 

"Forget the girl!" Giovanni shouted at them. "Clair can have her, if she wants her so much." 

Aurora continued to run, dodging a few last half-hearted grabs until Laine's Snorlax placed itself firmly between her and the battle, sealing off most of the street. Panting a little and trying not to be worried about the fight-sounds going on behind her, Aurora climbed the steps of the Blackthorn City Gym and went inside. 

For a moment, she was blinded, as she stepped from the brilliance of a sunny afternoon into the gloom of the Gym. There were no windows, no lights, only dark stone walls and the red- orange glow of the lava boiling below the gym floor. On the far side of the room, seated on her throne and flanked by two Dragonite statues, Clair rested, watching. She seemed almost like a statue herself, perfectly cool and unruffled, unaffected by whatever chaos was going on outside. Aurora walked slowly towards her, stopping a few yards away, just close enough that she could match her stare for stare. 

"I've come back," she said quietly. 

"So I see," was the response. "Still dragging around that scruffy Spearow, no less... I suppose you think I ought to be impressed by your Badges?" 

"I don't expect you to be impressed by anything." 

"Indeed. Perhaps you've learned something on your journey, after all. So, you've seen the light and realized that you are not worthy to train with me, have you?" 

"That's true. I don't deserve you as a trainer." 

Clair's eyes glittered. "I'm glad to see you've figured that out. Perhaps after a few more years of training..." 

"I don't deserve you as a trainer," Aurora repeated. "I deserve a lot better than you." 

Clair went rigid. She narrowed her eyes and glared. "What did you say?" 

"You heard me," said Aurora. "I don't need you to train me. There's nothing you can teach me that I'd want to know. All you know how to do is to force your Pokemon to obey you out of pain and fear, and how to rub out anyone you think will be competition for you. I could learn that from Team Rocket, if that's what I wanted. No, forget that - I know Rockets who are better trainers than you." 

"How dare you!" Clair gasped. "You insolent little...! I am the greatest trainer on this island! There is no one who has mastered Pokemon as I have!" 

"Good thing, too," said Aurora. "The last thing the world needs is more trainers like you - if you can be called a trainer. You're a slave driver, is what you are, and I'm going to put a stop to it. I'm going to rub you our, Clair. Your days as Gym Leader are over. In the name of all those trainers who lost their dreams because of you, I challenge you to a Pokemon battle." 

Clair smiled. It was a smile not even the heat of the boiling lava could have warmed. 

"Challenge accepted." 

~*~

Outside the gym, the street was in total chaos, as Rockets and Pokemon ran rampant. Laine thought she had picked out a full half-dozen Rockets milling around, though they moved so much that it was hard to keep track of them all. She didn't care. She still had a score to settle, and she was more than a match for all of them. Her Espeon was currently involved with launching Confusion attacks at a collection of Koffings and Grimers, who were reeling away from the psychic barrage. Slowpoke was showing an unusual amount of energy as he squared off with a lone Magmar. Spook the Gastly floated over the battlefield, putting enemies to sleep, paralyzing them, and laughing at them as they tried in vain to land attacks on him. Snorlax didn't go for such subtlety; he simply jumped into the air and flattened anything that happened to be underneath him when he fell, Rockets and Pokemon alike. 

"That's for what you Rockets did to my dad!" Laine shouted. "That's for cutting off my Slowpoke's tail! That's for kidnaping me and my friend! Maybe this'll teach you not to cause so much trouble!" 

Her taunts might not have had any particular effect - it was unlikely that any of the Rockets even heard her over the battle noise - but her Pokemon's attacks were working. None of the Rockets' Pokemon were managing to get anywhere near Ember and Giovanni. They stood calmly in the middle of the chaos, facing each other with identical glares. 

"Well," said Giovanni softly, "it seems I must give you some credit for choosing powerful friends." 

"Not only powerful, but loyal," Ember replied. "The three of us owe each other our lives. Even if I lose this battle, I'll still be able to rely on them long after your empire has fallen." 

"It is good to know I'll leave you with some consolation," said Giovanni. "Enough of this talk. Let's finish this quickly." 

With a flourish, he produced a PokeBall from inside a coat pocket and lobbed it at Ember. It opened, revealing a formidable-looking Dugtrio. Ember eyed it critically. It seemed his uncle really did want to end this battle quickly; the mole-Pokemon could easily drop his own partners down a Fissure if he gave it a chance... so of course, he wouldn't. Ember reached for a Ball of his own and released his Aerodactyl. 

"Flying types are immune to Ground moves," he said casually. "I suppose you regret giving me this thing now, don't you?" 

"Type advantages are no substitute for experience," Giovanni answered, but he didn't sound like he meant it. 

"Very well - experience this!" 

Aerodactyl dove at the Dugtrio, which dropped straight into the ground. The stone bird hovered, confused, until the mole reappeared and slashed at it with rows of sharp claws. Aerodactyl shrieked, but he was more angered than hurt. He attacked again, pecking and clawing until he'd beaten the mole into submission, forcing Giovanni to withdraw. 

"How does it feel to be losing to a young upstart?" Ember taunted. 

"If I were you, I wouldn't be counting my Exeggcutes until they hatch," Giovanni retorted. 

In a flash, he produced a towering Nidoking, which whirled in place and kicked the Aerodactyl with its powerful hind legs, and Ember winced as his Aerodactyl hit the ground. He quickly weighed his options and came up with the realization that he had no Pokemon with an advantage against Poison-types of any sort, that his uncle's Pokemon was an extremely powerful and well-trained Poison-type, and that this was not going to be as easy as he'd hoped. 

~*~

Clair slid from her throne in a sinuous movement that put Aurora in mind of a snake, and smiled thinly. 

"I'm sure you felt just terribly important making your little speech," she said. "I just want you to know how unimpressed I am. As a matter of fact, I think I'm going to enjoy this. Perhaps it's even better this way. Yes, I had meant to have the Rockets remove you for me, but now I think it will be more enjoyable if I rub you out myself." 

Aurora felt a chill run down her back, despite the heat of the room, as she realized what Clair was saying. If she lost this match, the forfeit was likely to be her life. Clair could pitch her into that bubbling lava, and there wouldn't even be a body to prove murder... 

"You can still back down, you know," said Clair. 

"Why? So you can have fun chasing me around Johto some more?" said Aurora. "So you can kill me without having to get your hands dirty in a real fight? Or are you so afraid of losing now that you won't even get into fights anymore?" 

"I would never be afraid of a little girl without even a month of training behind her!" 

"Then fight." 

"Very well." Clair's eyes narrowed. "It's time to teach you a lesson. Begin." 

With a graceful flick of her wrist, she conjured up a Dragonair, a long, lithe beast with sky-blue scales... but even in the dim light, Aurora could see the paler tracks of old scars. For a moment, she felt almost guilty about hurting the creature again, but she consoled herself with the thought that she would be far fairer to it than Clair had ever been - she would at least give it a chance to defend itself. 

"Take it, Scar!" she ordered. 

Scar shrieked and made a dive at the Dragonair, pecking furiously at it. The dragon attempted to defend itself, but it didn't even have arms or legs, and for the first few moments, it had to settle for backing away. In the end, it managed to lash its tail around and catch Scar in a strangle-hold. Even so, Scar continued to peck and struggle until his strength was spent. A blast of bright light hit him, and Aurora remembered belatedly that Dragonairs knew Thunder Wave. Shocked into paralysis, Scar slumped onto the ground. 

"Sorry, Scar!" Aurora shouted. 

She tried to get near enough to him to administer the Paralysis Heal, but the Dragonair put himself between her and her partner. 

"Even if you revive him, he has no strength left to fight," said Clair. "He's down. Next Pokemon." 

Tears pricking at her eyes over the unfairness of it, Aurora nevertheless managed to choose a new Pokemon. Frightful fluttered into action. He was perhaps not the strongest Pokemon she had, but Scar's valiant efforts had weakened the Dragonair considerably. All it took was a few bites from Frightful's sharp teeth to send it slumping into unconsciousness... only to be replaced by a new Dragonair. This one was larger and somewhat more healthy-looking than the last one. It took one look at the bat and blasted it with a burst of dragon-fire. Frightful gave a squeak and fell, and Aurora was only just able to recall him before he fell into the lava pools. 

"Two to one," said Clair complacently. "I seem to be winning." 

"I'm not done yet," Aurora retorted, but inside, she was beginning to worry. Two out of six Pokemon down... how many did Clair have up her sleeves? Three, it looked like, and at two Pokemon to one of hers, it was going to be an uphill battle. 

Perhaps it was pure annoyance at Clair that made her choose her most insulting Pokemon next. Blabberbeak took one look at Clair and rattled off a series of jeers and jibes that Aurora hadn't even known he was capable of, all of them highly offensive and some of them rather vulgar. Clair gave him a look that should have frozen water and shouted an order at the Dragonair. Instantly, a small tornado sprang up, snatching the bird out of the air and slamming him against the walkway, forcing him to scramble frantically to avoid falling. He vanished and reappeared next to the dragon, attacking with all his strength while the dragon responded with bursts of flame and lashes from its strong tail. Finally, the Murkrow could take no more, and he fell in a faint. Aurora recalled him. 

"Not good, not good," she muttered, skimming over her PokeBalls. Only two of her close partners left. Should she go ahead and release Articuno now, before they got hurt? No, she was saving him for an ace in the hole. She did not, could not trust his powers unless she had tried every other option first. Well, she would use the most powerful thing she had handy, then. "Rusty, you're up!" 

_It's about time,_ Rusty commented as he materialized. _Is that the woman you want me to battle? She looks no stronger than any other human woman. Weaker, in fact. She's trying to hide it, but she's seen better days. I think she knows it, too._

"What is he saying?" asked Clair. She could not fully understand Rusty's thought-transfer, but she still had the distinct feeling she was being insulted. 

"You don't really want to know!" Aurora replied. "Okay, Rusty, show her what you're made of!" 

_I am made of steel! If she can't see that, she's more nearsighted than I think she is,_ Rusty replied, but he nevertheless dove to batter at the dragon with his powerful steel wings. It was only a matter of time before it was forced to relent, and it dropped to the ground, looking like a wrung-out cloth. 

"You think you're special," Clair muttered, "because you've tamed a Skarmory. I'll teach you! Try _this_ on for size!" 

The final PokeBall was opened. Aurora stared. 

"A Kingdra?" she said. "Ember has one of those. His is a lot better looking than yours, too." 

"You leave that would-be Rocket out of this," Clair snarled. "Go, Kingdra! Punish this girl for her insults!" 

The Kingdra gave a screech, but before it could aim an attack, Rusty dove at him and began his attack. The water-dragon was not about to sit by and let itself be beaten, though - it fought back with everything it had, and for a moment, everything seemed to be obscured by flashing wings and fins. Suddenly, there was a burst of bubbling water, and Rusty, soaking wet, was pitched against a wall. He hit the platform like a pile of pots and pans being dumped on a sidewalk and lay there with as much energy. The Kingdra remained upright, scratched and battered but still just barely conscious. Clair laughed. 

"There? You see?" she boasted. "None can stand up to the power of the Dragons!" 

At that moment, something small and dark leaped out of the shadows. It bit the Kingdra in the back. With a final screech, it dropped to the platform in a faint. Proudly, Moondancer trotted up the walkway to sit proudly in front of Aurora. 

"There's a lot to be said for a little subtlety," said Aurora. Despite the victory, she felt strangely calm. It was as if she were just dreaming all this, just watching herself as she went through the motions of a dream-battle. "It's over, Clair. You've lost." 

"No," said Clair. "I have not lost. I never lose, not today or any other day. Behold!" 

She touched a device on her belt, and the statues beside her throne swung aside, revealing a pair of dark doorways. Two Dragonites stepped into the room, their dark eyes narrow and vicious. 

"Meet my pets," said Clair. "They're very useful for cleaning up the mess that's left after battles. Boys, get rid of that little furry pest." 

The Dragonites roared and flared their wings, and suddenly Moondancer was hit from both sides by a blast of white energy. She gave a heart-wrenching shriek and fell, her fluffy fur nearly burnt off by the force of the attack. Aurora stared from her fallen partner to Clair, eyes wide with shock. 

"That - that's _cheating!_" she blurted. 

Clair gave an ugly laugh. "Who cares? The most powerful trainer should win, regardless of rules." 

"You think so?" said Aurora quietly. She felt very cold, cold but angry, like a midwinter storm. "You want power, then? I'll show you the power of legends!" 

Clair began to laugh again, amused at the girl's bravado. Then she abruptly stopped laughing. The room had suddenly gotten very cold, and there was a weird blue light in the air. She turned and stared at the gleaming bird of ice that had materialized in the middle of her gym, watching as a rime of frost crept across the floor and up the walls, freezing the pools of lava into cold black rock. 

"What is it?" she whispered. 

"Articuno," Aurora answered. "The elemental of ice. Your mortal enemy." 

Wheels clicked in Clair's brain. The elemental of ice... she had dreamed of this icy bird destroying her... but no, it couldn't happen. If she destroyed him, would it undermine the powers of Ice as well? The Dragon-type's only real weakness was Ice; if she could cut it off at its source... 

"Kill him!" she barked at the dragons. "Destroy that bird!" 

The dragons flew into action, blasting at the bird with bolts of white light. Articuno fought back with bursts of ice, but he could not be in two places at once, and every time he managed to injure one of the dragons, the other would hit him with a Hyper Beam or something equally uncomfortable. Aurora held her breath, wondering how long even an elemental bird could stand up to such a beating. She got her answer a few minutes later, as Articuno hit one of the Dragonites with an icy blast, knocking it out of the air. At the same time, the remaining dragon struck him from behind. He shrieked with a voice that seemed to make the whole building shake, and Aurora clapped her hands to her ears. There was an eye-searing flash of blue-white light, and Articuno disappeared. 

*_I have done all I can,_* she heard a whisper of his voice say in her mind. *_I return to my eternal sleep. Farewell._* 

"No!" Aurora wailed. It was not supposed to end like this - it couldn't... but it had. With a moan of defeat, she fell to her knees next to her fallen Pokemon. She should have known it was going to end like this. Hadn't she been told in her dreams that not even the power of legends could defeat Clair? She should have heeded the warnings. Now she was going to die for not listening. 

"That's right - kneel before me," said Clair, striding proudly over to her gloat. "I want you to know your place before you go." 

"You're a monster," said Aurora defiantly, glaring up at Clair. Hot tears spilled unchecked down her face. "How can you do this?" 

"I am a goddess," Clair replied. "I will not be held back by the rules of common people." 

Aurora stared up at her, thinking, *_This woman is insane. She should be put down, like a mad Houndoom._* 

Clair hooked a hand under Aurora's chin, hauling her to her feet so they could look into each other's eyes. The other hand moved to tighten around the girl's throat; she could feel Clair's nails digging into her skin. It wouldn't take much more pressure before it would start obstructing her breathing. At her back, she could feel a rising heat; without the Articuno's power to cool it, the lava had started boiling again. Aurora wondered giddily if she would be thrown in before or after she suffocated. 

"You are going to die now," Clair told her softly. "Thus go all who dare to oppose me." 

Aurora didn't have the breath to argue, and couldn't have thought clearly enough to make an answer even if she had been capable of speech. This close to her, she could see the small details of Clair's face. What had looked flawless from afar was now clearly visible as an artful mask of makeup, not completely disguising the fine lines around her eyes and mouth. Glints of silver showed at the roots of Clair's dark hair. 

*_She's really trying to make herself last forever,_* thought Aurora. *_As if she really does want to be a goddess..._* Something about the idea made her feel sick to her stomach. 

"You have been an interesting opponent," said Clair. "It is seldom anyone makes it this close to me these days. Consider yourself lucky to have had the honor of dying by my hand. Goodbye." 

She took a step forward, moving to drop the girl into the lava pit. However, before she could make another movement, something in the corner of the room began to glow. She turned her head, startled, and loosened her grip just enough that Aurora was able to twist free. 

"What? What's going on?" demanded Clair indignantly. 

"It's Scar!" Aurora cried joyfully. "The paralysis wore off!" 

It was true. Even as she spoke, Scar raised his head and flared his wings... but there was something else going on. Light continued to shine around him as his wings spread and his neck stretched. Suddenly, he was no longer a scruffy Spearow, but a graceful bird with long wings, a flowing tail, a slender neck, and a swordlike beak. He still had a scar over one eye. 

"He's evolved!" exclaimed Clair in consternation. "That Spearow evolved to a Fearow!" 

Aurora could only stare. This was the final vision her dream had showed her, the bird she had not quite been able to make out before she awoke. She thought she'd never seen anything so beautiful. 

"Fearow!" Scar trumpeted, propelling himself into the sky. He zeroed in on Clair with malice in his eye. 

"Stop him!" shouted Clair at her Dragonite. "Stop that mangy bird!" 

The Dragonite did what it could, but it had already lost most of its strength. After the battle with the elemental bird, it was hardly a match for a hatchling, let alone a full-evolved Pokemon. It made a few feeble swipes that seemed to do more to tire it than to hurt its opponent. Scar made a single well-placed peck, and the Dragonite fell back with a groan. The Fearow crowed his battle cry. Aurora dashed forward, throwing her arms around him and hugging him. 

"Scar, you were wonderful!" she exclaimed, burying her face against his feathers. "I knew you wouldn't let me down!" 

_Of course I wouldn't,_ said a gruff but familiar voice in her mind. _I love you._

Aurora looked up in surprise. Just as she opened her eyes, she saw a movement, and she managed to dive out of the way just in time to see Clair, shrieking with rage, make a crazy dive at the place where the girl had been standing a split second earlier. Scar batted her with one of his wings, and she tripped, falling dangerously close to the edge of the walk. She scrambled for a handhold and huddled fearfully on the floor. Scar hopped over to her and glared down at her menacingly. Aurora joined him. 

"That was a very bad thing to do," she said. "It's over now, though. Completely over. Falkner's already left to get Lance and tell him all about what you've been up to, and they'll be coming back any time now to put you away. Face it, Clair - your days of being a Gym Leader are over. Your days of being _anyone_ are over." 

Clair opened her mouth, perhaps to threaten or plead, but was cut off by a different sound. There appeared to be a commotion going on outside - what kind, it was hard to tell. Abruptly, Aurora remembered Ember's battle with Giovanni. Had something happened out there? 

"I'll be back in a minute," she said to Scar as she ran out the door. "Keep an eye on this creature, and if she moves, peck her eyes out!" 

Scar squawked his agreement and fixed Clair with an appraising stare, as if wondering which eye he ought to take out first. Clair looked up into his merciless gaze and shivered. 

~*~

Out of character as it was for him, there was a brief moment when Ember had wished he could turn around and leave, go back home to Viridian City and his parents and forget all about doing anything as potentially dangerous as picking fights with the leader of Team Rocket. That moment had occurred at approximately the same time he had seen his Aerodactyl fall, and had alleviated in the moment he'd realized that his Charizard was a match for a Nidoking - a close match, but definitely a match. It had taken some doing to get the Nidoking to finally give up the fight, but in the end, Charizard had been triumphant. He'd been taken out shortly afterwards by Giovanni's Kangaskhan, which was in turn canceled out by Ember's Kingdra. By that point, Ember had even been daring to think he had a chance at winning. By the time Kingdra had finished off Giovanni's Persian (who had always been more for show than actual fighting, anyway) his confidence was fully restored. 

That was about the time Giovanni had released a Machamp, and things got ugly. 

"I am impressed," said Giovanni mildly, as Kingdra gave a final squeak and collapsed. You've learned a good deal more on your little sojourn than I'd expected. Perhaps in a few years, you really will be ready to face me properly." 

"I'm ready now," said Ember stubbornly. "You haven't beaten me yet." 

"It is a foregone conclusion," Giovanni told him. "How many Pokemon have you got left? Only one? I have three. At the rate you've been going, I don't think you have a chance." 

"Oh, I always have hope," said Ember casually. 

"Indeed? Your optimism is impressive. Foolish, but impressive." 

"I don't think so." 

Ember opened his final PokeBall. A gleaming blue Gyarados appeared, thrashing her fins and showing off her sharp teeth. Ember stroked her nose affectionately. 

"Okay, Hope," he said. "Sic 'em." 

Hope gave a roar and charged at the Machamp, catching it off-guard. It staggered backwards and fell, and Hope snatched it up in her sharp teeth and chomped it soundly. It bellowed and struggled, but its attacks had only minimal effect on a part-Flying, and it was finally forced to give up the effort as futile. 

Giovanni frowned as he began to process similar equations. As the former keeper of the Earth Badge, he still preferred to work mainly with Ground-types, and his final two Pokemon were both evidence of that fact. His Sandslash and Marowak were both powerful in and of themselves, but against something that would resist half their attacks and then douse them with their enemy, Water... 

"So," he said quietly, "all this time you were holding back..." 

"Just saving the best for last," said Ember casually. "Now, what is it you were saying about this battle being a foregone conclusion?" 

"I admit to being surprised," Giovanni answered, "but you have not won yet." 

"So you want to stand here and force your Pokemon lose a battle for no good reason? Admit it, the fight's already over and I _have_ won." 

Giovanni glared at his nephew, but he was saved from replying as a shadow fell over the battlefield. Instantly, everyone turned and stared at the sky, shouting and pointing, as a pair of swift-moving shapes sailed by. One was a handsome Pidgeotto, and the other... 

Ember was so caught up in staring that he did not realize Aurora was standing next to him until she started tugging on his sleeve. 

"What's going on?" she whispered. "I heard all this commotion, and..." 

Ember silently pointed, and Aurora, too, became quiet. 

Landing in front of the Dragon Temple was... a dragon, of course, a gleaming orange-gold Dragonite with flashing green wings and a proud mein. Why shouldn't he be proud? Perched regally on his back was a tall, regal man dressed in a dark uniform and a long cloak. His hair was graying at the temples and his face somewhat lined, but despite that, he did not show any hint of being old or weak. Those details only complemented his air of power with a hint of wisdom. Aurora wouldn't have had to see the dragon to know that this was Lance, Leader of the Elite Four, perhaps the most powerful man in the world. 

She didn't realize she had been staring blatantly until Falkner came over and shook her out of her daze. 

"Aurora, what are you doing here?" he demanded. "I thought I told you to stay with Pryce!" 

"I was going to," Aurora answered, but... things got complicated." 

"They always seem to," answered Falkner with a wry smile, looking around at the battered Rockets and the scowling Giovanni. "All right, what happened here? And where is Clair?" 

"It's going to take some time to explain, but... I fought with Clair and I won. She's back there in the Gym. Scar's guarding her." 

"I can't think of a better guard," said Falkner. "I think I can deal with her from here, though. With your permission, Master Lance...?" 

"Go ahead," said Lance with a nod. "I think I can handle things here." 

Falkner gave a small bow and headed for the Gym. Lance turned his attention to the matter closest at hand. 

"Good morning, Giovanni," he said politely. "I was wondering if I might run into you here." 

"Hello, Lance," Giovanni replied. "It has been an interesting morning, certainly, though I can't say I would call it good." 

There was a hint of a sparkle in the Dragon Master's eye. "You being what you are, I think you'd avoid it like the plague if it _was_ good. Would you care to save me some trouble and explain to me what's going on here? My friend Falkner tells me you've been causing trouble again." 

"The same as usual," said Giovanni with a resigned sigh. 

Much to Aurora's surprise, he began explaining to Lance the details of what had been going on with Team Rocket for the last few months, while Lance listened with something that looked like polite interest. He even laughed quietly, once or twice, as if he was hearing the plot of a good book rather than the details of a plan that could have overturned the whole continent. 

*_If I didn't know better,_* she'd thought, *_I'd think they were friends... or good rivals._* 

Within a few minutes, Falkner returned with Scar and Clair. It was easy to see what had taken him so long; despite the fact that Falkner was taller and stronger than Clair, and that Scar was still lending his convincing presence, Clair was still putting up a terrific struggle. She fought and scratched like a cornered Persian, screaming in fury. As she drew closer to the assembled company - or rather, was forcefully dragged - her gaze fell on Giovanni, and her expression went from outraged to positively livid. 

"You!" she shouted. "You set me up for this! Giovanni, make them let me go! You can't let them do this to me! Don't leave me here like this!" 

Giovanni studied her thoughtfully, and for a moment, Aurora would have sworn he felt sorry for her. Then he sighed and looked away. 

"Sorry, Clair," he said. "Team Rocket doesn't deal in losing propositions." 

Desperate, she turned to Lance. 

"You won't let them take me, will you?" she begged. "I was your student... You were going to make me your heir..." 

"You have disgraced the name of the Pokemon League," he told her sternly. "By your actions, you've forfeited any privileges you once had. I hereby strip you of them. You are no longer my heir, my student, or a Gym Leader." 

Clair let out a heartbroken wail. Lance's expression remained as stone. 

"Take her away," he ordered the Dragonite. "She will be judged by the Elite Four and myself at the Indigo Plateau, once the details of the case are fully clear. Until then, let her be confined in a cell in the Silver Mountains until we have time to deal with her." 

The Draginite nodded and scooped her up, looping her with his tail and flapping off into the sky. Lance sighed. 

"I had such high hopes for her," he said. 

"As did I," said Giovanni, shaking his head. "Perhaps my judgement is not what it once was, after all..." 

"Excuse me," said a voice. 

Aurora jumped. Once again, it seemed Ember had managed to slip off without being noticed. Now he was walking back from the Dragon Temple, carrying an indistinct blue bundle in his arms. It was only as he came to stand next to the Dragon Master that she could see it was a Dratini. It was very young and small, and covered from end to end with signs of whiplashes. 

"Master Lance, sir?" he said uncertainly. He looked a little overwhelmed at having finally met his idol. "Can you help her? I found her near the mouth of the cave... She says her name is Skystar." 

"Does she, now? Hm," said Lance, carefully taking the dragon. "Well, thank you for bringing her to me. I think I can take care of her." 

He reached under a fold of his cloak and took out a potion, which he carefully administered to the little Dratini. As it drank, its strength returned, and it chittered with happiness as it finished off the last drops. 

"There," said Lance. "Almost as good as new. I'm afraid there's nothing that can be done for the scars, but at least she's healthy now. With any luck, she'll stay that way now that Clair is gone." 

"Are you going to keep her?" asked Ember. 

"I don't think so," Lance replied. "I can't keep every dragon there is, even if I am a Master. Besides, she likes you." 

"She does?" 

The Dratini chirped and nodded her head vigorously. She wiggled out of Lance's arms and twined up Ember's arm, wrapping herself around his neck like a scarf. Ember smiled a little as he stroked her nose. Aurora could hear muttering in the background and tried to surpress a giggle; it seemed Laine was annoyed with the fact that someone else got to play with the rare Pokemon. 

"I think she has a good home," said Lance. "Is this the nephew I've heard so much about? He seems an admirable character. I will look forward to working with him in the future... He is your chosen heir, is he not?" 

Giovanni appeared to be making some serious mental calculations. Then he smiled slightly and set a hand on Ember's shoulder. "Yes. That he is." 

Ember stared at him, startled. Then some of the ramifications of the situation dawned on him, and he smiled and went back to admiring his new dragon. 

Lance turned his attention away from the Rockets, and Aurora froze as his dark gaze landed on her. She might not idolize him as Ember did, but she had to admit that Lance had a commanding presence. 

"You must be Aurora," he said. "Falkner has told me a lot about you." 

"I hope most of it was good," she answered, feeling somewhat embarrassed. 

Lance laughed. "Quite good. Indeed, our fine feathered friend speaks quite highly of you. But even without his reports, I would be impressed. It isn't often that a trainer as young as yourself has been able to win against Clair... even before she sunk to cheating to help her win." 

"I had help," said Aurora. 

"Has anyone ever won a Pokemon battle alone? No, we all win with the help of our friends, family... and our Pokemon, of course. Those who try to win by their own power alone end up like Clair," said Lance. "Speaking of which, there now seems to be a vacancy in the Gym hierarchy. We need a new Dragon Master. Your friend Falkner speaks highly of your ability and integrity, and he tells me your dream is to become a Gym Leader. As one who has defeated Clair, you have the right to take her place." 

"Thank you very much," she said, "but I don't think I can accept." 

"No?" Lance looked faintly puzzled. "May I ask why not?" 

"Because... it's just not for me. I don't have the ability." 

"If it is a matter of ways and means, you will be provided with dragons of your own to train... and as the reigning Dragon Master, I will be willing to assist you in your training." 

Aurora shook her head. "It's not like that. I'm just not cut out for being a Dragon Master. I love my own Pokemon. I wouldn't replace them with anything. Anyway, I don't think I'd want to stay in the Gym where Clair was. I wouldn't feel right living in the same place as the woman who tried to kill me. I don't think I'd make a very good Dragon Master... but I know someone who would." 

"Oh?" asked Lance, looking curious. "And who might that be?" 

"A Dragon Master ought to be someone who knows how to handle power - someone just a little bit dark and dangerous, but not enough that they'd abuse their position," said Aurora slowly. "I think you should make Ember the next Dragon Master." 

There was silence. Everyone stared at Ember. 

"Me?" he said. "But I'm..." 

"A Rocket?" Lance suggested. "So is your uncle, and he held the highest Gym in Kanto for years. It is not an insurmountable obstacle, provided certain restraints are followed." 

"You'll be good at it," said Laine, nodding in agreement. "Rora's got it right. Just look at your Pokemon! You've got a Dragon affinity." 

"I do?" he said blankly. 

"Charizard, Aerodactyl, Gyarados, Kingdra... and now a Dratini," said Aurora. "That's got dragons written all over it." 

"A dragon affinity is very rare," said Lance thoughtfully. "I'd thought I was the only one alive today who had one." 

The Dratini chittered at Ember. He listened to it intently for a moment, then shrugged. 

"If it's all right with you, I suppose I can't object," he said to Lance. "What do you think, Uncle? Should there be another Gym Leader in the family?" 

"Don't ask me. You've been telling me all this time you're going to do everything your own way no matter what I tell you," Giovanni replied, but he didn't sound too terribly displeased. 

"Fine," said Ember. "I accept." 

"Wonderful," said Lance. "We'll get everything arranged as soon as possible. As for the young lady..." He turned back to Aurora. "...perhaps you will accept this instead. I believe I am still licensed to bestow it." 

He handed Aurora a glittering bit of metal. 

"I hereby bestow upon you the Rising Badge, mark of mastery over all Pokemon," he said. "By this Badge, you will now be recognized as a Pokemon Master." 

She bowed and murmured her thanks, momentarily overcome by emotion. Somewhere in the dim reaches of her mind, she was thinking that being a Pokemon Master didn't feel any different than being a regular trainer. She was still a little confused by everything that was going on, and wishing she could take off by herself for a while to consider what she was going to do next. 

"Now that the ceremony has been dealt with," said Giovanni, "could we please wrap up the more urgent matters? I don't have all day to hang around, you know." 

"Very well," said Lance. "This is a rather unusual situation. Come along, Ember. It's time to figure out what to do with you." 

He clapped a hand on Ember's shoulder, and a highly bemused boy was led off between the leader of the Rockets and the Dragon Master. 

~*~

It was time to say goodbye. Most of the afternoon had been taken up hammering out negotiations between Giovanni and Lance about what the conditions for a future Rocket Leader becoming a Gym Leader and Lance's heir apparent should be, and yet more hours were used up getting him officially installed in his new post. Aurora spent the time wandering aimlessly around town. In a way, she envied Ember. At least he had someone to tell him what he should do next. 

"What are you going to do now?" she asked Laine. 

Laine shrugged. "Keep on goin', I guess. I still haven' seen all I wanted to see of Johto, and Kanto's still out there, and other islands over the sea... I've got a lotta travelin' to do. Maybe I'll pick up some more of these Badges, while I'm at it. Might be fun to have the whole set." 

"Like maybe the Storm Badge?" asked Aurora with a small smile. 

Laine grinned. "Yeah. Come to think of it, I might go for that one first. Be nice to see how ol' Bruce is doin', now that he's a Gym Leader an' all. Think he'll remember me?" 

"Of course he will! You're unforgettable." 

"Thanks - I think," said Laine. "So, what are you goin' to do next? Hang around Blackthorn a while?" 

"I don't know what I'm going to do," said Aurora. "All this time, I thought I was going to stay here... now it's like I don't have a place anymore." 

"You could come with me," Laine suggested. 

Aurora dredged up a smile. "Thanks, but... I don't think I'd make much of a researcher. I will miss you, though." 

"Hey, it ain't like we'll never see each other again," said Laine. "Though come to think of it, I am kinda gonna miss havin' you around gettin' me in trouble. You're a good friend." 

"So are you. Probably the best I've ever had." 

"Fear, fear, fearow!" 

Aurora laughed. "Next to you, Scar." 

Finally, near sunset, Ember was allowed to come out of the Gym and get a breath of fresh air. Seeing him coming from a distance, Aurora noted that someone had dredged him up a new uniform, something that was neither his Rocket suit nor his trainer disguise, but something similar to Lance's costume, though plainer. 

"I'm glad that's over," he said as he came within speaking distance. "You have no idea how tedious those kinds of meetings can be. Perhaps I'll outlaw them someday." 

"Did you get everything all settled?" asked Aurora. 

"For the most part," Ember replied. "There are still a few small details to work through, but the basic agreement is that I can still run the Rockets and my Gym as long as I keep the jobs separate - no using my position as a Leader to help keep the Rockets out of trouble or anything like that. On the upside, Lance is going to stay in Blackthorn for a few weeks to help train me. I think I'll learn a lot from him." 

"I'm glad." 

Ember smiled a little. "It's going to be a change from my old life, that's for sure. No doubt, I'll be ready to get away from it all in a month or two and wishing I could go back to roaming again... but I thank you anyway. All in all, I might just enjoy being the Dragon Master." 

"I knew you would," said Aurora. "You'll be much better at it than I ever would." 

"Even so, you'll have to come back to Blackthorn once in a while," said Ember. 

She blinked in confusion. "I will?" 

"Of course. If I'm going to have any success at being the most powerful trainer on the continent, I'll need my rival to keep me sharp." He took her hands in his. "So you'll have to come back soon." 

"I will," she promised. 

"All right, all right, break it up, you two," said Falkner, striding over to join them. "Ember, your uncle's looking for you - something about dealing with those Rockets he brought with him. And Aurora... I was about to head back to Violet City, and I thought you might like to come with me a ways." 

"Thank you," she said. The idea of leaving Blackthorn alone left her depressed, especially since she didn't know where she was going. 

"Come along, then. I want to at least set out before nightfall." 

"All right," Aurora replied. "Goodbye, Ember. Bye, Laine. As soon as I get wherever I'm going, I'll send you both a Pidgey." 

Her friends called back goodbyes. It would have been very hard to walk away from them if she hadn't had Falkner leading her. She fell into step beside him as they walked toward the southern cliffs. For a moment, she was quiet, and Falkner was kind enough to leave her to her thoughts. 

"I guess you're disappointed in me," she said at last. 

"Disappointed?" he repeated. "Why would I ever be disappointed in you? You've helped to stop a Rocket plot, defeated a powerful Gym Leader, and become a Pokemon Master. What is there for me to be disappointed in?" 

"Because... you and Morty, you were trying to train me to be a Gym Leader, and I gave it up," she said. "I'm sorry." 

"Nothing to be sorry for. You've chosen your own path. It is not my place to decide what is best for you. I'm pleased to see you have the wisdom to know on your own." 

"Not really," she said. "I don't know what I'm going to do now that I have all the Badges." 

"Well, you have a few options," he said. "If you wished, you could continue to travel with your friend Laine - I'm sure she would be glad to have you along. You could travel to the Indigo Plateau to challenge the Elite Four for Championship, or you could collect the Badges of Kanto. You could become a collector and search for rare Pokemon. You could even go back home. But if none of those options appeal to you..." 

"Yes?" 

"You could look for a different Gym Leader who needs an apprentice." 

Aurora gave him a considering look. "Have _you_ got an apprentice?" 

Falkner smiled a little. "I have one in mind. She's a young lady about your age and height, with long silver hair and a particular affinity for birds. She is also possessed of considerable talent, courage, and integrity. Of course, I haven't asked her yet. Do you think she would like the job?" 

"Wait a minute," said Aurora. "Are you telling me that all this time, you were training me to be _your_ apprentice? That the Gym you were teaching me to lead was... yours?" 

"Why not?" Falkner replied. "It's been a long time since I've met someone with my affinity for Flying-types. It's a rare gift... so is the talent for earning the love of Pokemon instead of simply capturing them." He nodded in Scar's direction, and the Fearow trumpeted his agreement with Falkner's assessment. "I've known since the day I met you that I wanted you to be the one to follow in my footsteps. Still, it's your choice in the end. What do you say? Are you interested?" 

"Of course I'm interested!" she said. "I'd love to be your apprentice." 

"Wonderful. I thought you might," he answered with a teasing smile. "Come on. Let's get you back to Violet City so we can get the papers drawn up." 

They reached the edge of the town and found themselves looking over the steep side of a mountain. In the west, the sun was sinking, turning the sky orange and gold. To the south, invisible beyond the trees, was Violet City. Aurora tried thinking of it as home and found it a good fit. 

"I'm right behind you," she said. 

She let Scar settle on her shoulders and lift her into the air, and they swooped into the air. They rose high above the earth, with her hair flashing like fire in the setting sun, streaming out behind her like a cloak... 

**THE END**


End file.
